Whos fault?

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rustyryan34

rustyryan34

Member
I know who's fault it is but don't know what to do. Here it is

I just put on a new service on a small store a 400 amp 120/208. Everything went good. Job is 2 hours away so I was not their when the power company set their transformer and hooked up power. About 5 min after they hooked up I guess the GC plugged in 4 battery chargers and a siccors lift. They all strated smoking. It turns out the power company set the wrong transformer. I don't know what voltage they but it fried everything. By the time I got their they had fixed it.
Now they want me to pay for half of the stuff that got fried because its my service and I should have been their to check it. What do I do?
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
rustyryan34 said:
.........Now they want me to pay for half of the stuff that got fried because its my service and I should have been their to check it. What do I do?
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If "they", meaning the GC, wants you to pay, why were "they" doing monkeying around with YOUR service?

"They" are not qualified to commision a new service, so they should not have done one thing to it except look at it until you arrived.
 
W

wawireguy

Senior Member
Tell him to pound sand! They took it upon themselves to test the transformer when decided to turn on breakers and plug their gear in. If anyone is at faul it is the POCO.
 
jrannis

jrannis

Senior Member
Location
Fort Lauderdale/ Miami
rustyryan34 said:
I know who's fault it is but don't know what to do. Here it is

I just put on a new service on a small store a 400 amp 120/208. Everything went good. Job is 2 hours away so I was not their when the power company set their transformer and hooked up power. About 5 min after they hooked up I guess the GC plugged in 4 battery chargers and a siccors lift. They all strated smoking. It turns out the power company set the wrong transformer. I don't know what voltage they but it fried everything. By the time I got their they had fixed it.
Now they want me to pay for half of the stuff that got fried because its my service and I should have been their to check it. What do I do?
Click to expand...

Service was good, installed correctly, the POCO burned the place up!!
Who is to say that they haven't done that with an existing service during a change out.
They screwed up, they have the deep pockets for it.
I would ask them what your insurance companies lawyer might have to say about it.
 
fishin' electrician

fishin' electrician

Senior Member
Location
Connecticut
Who closed the main(s)?

Around here, it isn't likely that the POCO would energize anything except the line side of the disconnect(s), but the idiots should have at least put a meter on it when they finished.
 
S

satcom

Senior Member
jrannis said:
Service was good, installed correctly, the POCO burned the place up!!
Who is to say that they haven't done that with an existing service during a change out.
They screwed up, they have the deep pockets for it.
I would ask them what your insurance companies lawyer might have to say about it.
Click to expand...

Just turn it over to your insurance company, that is why you have libality insurance.
 
R

Rich R

Senior Member
Pretty simple to me, whoever energized the service is responsible for the damage. I f they didnt want to wait for you then that is they're problem.

If GC is the one that energized the service then maybe time they will learn that is why they they are unqualified to pull an electrical permit, they have no business whatsoever touching the electrical on that job without your go ahead.

If the PoCo energized it then tell the GC to take it up with them.

Make sure you got your liens and an attorney ready in case the GC wants to play games with any money owed to you.

"quote nakulak : "you are not at fault, but I bet you won't do that again"

Do what again ? expect the PoCo to know what they are doing ?
 
TOOL_5150

TOOL_5150

Senior Member
Location
bay area, ca
You are not to blame - You didnt comission the service. I also HIGHLY doubt the POCO turned on the main either. Here, the POCO will hook it up, verify voltage on their side, and watch you turn on the main. Thats it.

Whoever turned on the main and plugged stuff in is at complete fault.

Stick to your guns, dont file an insurance claim for something you did not do!

~Matt
 
C

cruzJD

Member
Who took off the LOTO tag? I have played this game before?


We ran into an issue where POCO switched a phase when they set a transformer. It let the smoke out of $30,000 worth of stuff. Clamed it on insurance and they went after the POCO that was at ?fault? to say. The POCO clamed that when the LOTO came off it should have been checked to make sure it was right.
 
N

nakulak

Senior Member
I could see where a customer might think you were responsible (you never know what they are going to think), but the POCO thinks you are at fault ? BULL !! they know daggone well exactly who is at fault, what a bunch of jerks.
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
rustyryan34 said:
yes

The GC is not mad at me he knows he turned it on but the POCO wants me to pay half
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It's insane enough if it was the GC that wants you to pony up, but the POCO? Do they think you have the word "SUCKER!" tattooed on your forehead?

I think you should strip the entire panel down and megger it all, then charge the POCO bookoo bucks for investigating (and repairing if necessary!) the potential damage they did you your switchgear. No shortcuts. No discounts. Charge full-bore rates.
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
480sparky said:
I think you should strip the entire panel down and megger it all, then charge the POCO bookoo bucks for investigating (and repairing if necessary!) the potential damage they did you your switchgear. No shortcuts. No discounts. Charge full-bore rates.
Click to expand...

I think this is one of Ken's best ideas. How do I know the gear was not damaged by overvoltage?
 
GUNNING

GUNNING

Senior Member
Location
Gainesville, Florida
Mfc

Mfc

Half of what? First off its not your fault because you didn't plug in the equipment or the service. The tipoff for the utility would have been the color coding on the service wires. Third its scrap value of equipment if it comes to that. And why did the batteries get fried? Wouldn't it just be the rectifiers or cant the chargers be repaired ???? New equipment??? I don't think so. Sounds like they need time and material service call to evaluate and repair their equipment that the GC and utility destroyed. Let the professionals negotiate. If you have to, get the insurance involved. They make up the rules, have the experience, and the deep pockets to negotiate. Make sure you lined up your ducks in a row. Recheck on the specs and get documentation (time line). Put things in writing and don't make them up. Find an attorney and confirm damaged equipment or maybe the GC is lying (how do you tell if a contractor is lying ... his lips are moving) DON'T ADMIT TO ANYTHING DON'T GIVE FALSE OR MISLEADING INFORMATION. It complicates things and comments on your character.
If you are going to get hammered, you can lay back and get take it; or go kicking crying and screaming and cause as much trouble as possible.
I had a contractor sue me on Christmas eve once. Really bothered me for a long time till I realized it was a mind game. Turns out they had no standing because they were not a contractor. There are all types of people out there. Just do the right thing. You know what it is and so do they.

Merry Friggin Christmas!
 
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