Preforming my first live service changeout

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Karl H

Senior Member
Location
San Diego,CA
I've been in service for 25 years and while reading this thread, I agree with
both sides. It's funny, when you start in this trade you have an inherit fear
of electricity. Then as you gain experience in the trade, you tell people
you "respect it" while secretly still fearing it. Then develop procedures to
safely (in your mind) work with it live. Then as you become even more
educated about electricity, theory, current flow,etc. You fear it more than
you did when you first started. In my experience, those that worked
circuits hot had very little understanding of what electricity is or what a
simple circuit is capable of doing to the human body. I was one of those
electricians. I have been "Hit" many times in the past. Even now, with all
my training, I still remember,as safe as I "thought" I was being, I never expected
the "Hit" I received. We will always have to work or test energized circuits
at some point and training will better your chances of going home after the
day is done. Wearing PPE's, makes your chances even better. PPE's in my
day was a helper with a broom stick to knock me off a energized circuit
if I got hung up. I do not do that anymore! :grin:
 
mxslick

mxslick

Senior Member
Location
SE Idaho
iwire said:
:D

Things seemed to be getting too serious, I do have strong feelings about the subject but I also do not want to be jerk about it.:)
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Like I said before Bob, it is your strong convictions that make me respect you and enjoy our debates on these hot-button topics. :grin:

I don't ever think you're being a jerk...stubborn maybe, but not a jerk. :grin:

And thank you for bringing some humor to this too...

mivey, I'd start that poll but wanna take bets on who will close the thread down? :grin:
 
G

gentpwr1

New member
Energized Service Change Not Recommended

Energized Service Change Not Recommended

Putting aside any licensing issues, because that was not the question. It certainly is not the best practice to do a service change energized. Unless there is an effort to avoid a utility or permitting fee, I have not seen a situation where the utility would not isolate the service to assure your safety and their potential liability. If a person is well versed in performing hot work (ppe, arc flash and shock hazards, etc.) I encourage you to do what it takes to arrange for an outage. In either case, best of luck and please keep your personal safety and that of the customer at the forefront.
 
cschmid

cschmid

Senior Member
Location
Northern cold country
the only reason I can see that an electrician would want to do it live was because of the time frame involved with some very busy POCO's. that would leave the customer without power for a unacceptable period..
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
mxslick said:
Welcome to the Forum sir. :)

And yes, with proper training and PPE I feel there should be no problem in doing live work.
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I have never said people could not be trained the question is why?

There is no reason electricians should be expected to put their neck on the line just so a home gets tied into power.




Ask the family's of the dead if they think it was worth it. (Heavy but true)
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Tell me if you guys would call this "doing it live." We have the POCO untag or unlock the meter, unless they tell us to cut the tag. We throw the breakers, then the main, then pull the meter.

We leave the load-side cable in the old meter base (unless it's not long enough) and use it to make the new load-side service cable hot when we plug the meter back into the old base.

The POCO Blue Book shows using bugs or U-bolts to join the old load-side cable wires to the new load cable wires, but I manage fit both in the new load lugs, using them as temporaries.

The POCO comes out after inspection approval is faxed, and makes up everything to the line-side meter terminals. If it's commercial, we do the riser up the wall, but they do the rest.
 
V

Volta

Senior Member
Location
Columbus, Ohio
LarryFine said:
Tell me if you guys would call this "doing it live." We have the POCO untag or unlock the meter, unless they tell us to cut the tag. We throw the breakers, then the main, then pull the meter....
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I'd call that live. :)

Here there is no good way. The POCO can't reconnect 'till inspection. Inspector may not want to approve work that is not completed that morning if they show up early. Need to call POCO by 2:00 pm with approval number. Need to have ordered inspection the previous day. We do the panel, meter base, grounding, riser, and POCO does the splice if everything above works out.

Otherwise you ask the customer to use candles for a night. Or two. They really appreciate the safety of it all at that point. :roll:

Or some ECs might accidently crimp the riser to the existing drop. :)
 
mxslick

mxslick

Senior Member
Location
SE Idaho
iwire said:
I have never said people could not be trained the question is why?

There is no reason electricians should be expected to put their neck on the line just so a home gets tied into power.




Ask the family's of the dead if they think it was worth it. (Heavy but true)
Click to expand...

Bob, I ask again, would you apply that same logic to the thousands of POCO workers who do live work every day?

I think they would strongly disagree with you, or else we would all be in the dark. :grin:

Perhaps this is simply a topic that you and I will never agree on. :)

But if an electrician wishes to be trained and do this task, more power to them (pun intended) and both training and appropriate amendments to laws and regulations should happen.

I do agree that if it is something a person is not comfortable with, they should not attempt it or attempt to be trained in that task, or be forced or coerced into doing it.

Example: I would be comfortable working on live power lines as POCO guys do, but since I cannot handle heights well I would not try to apply for the job. :grin:

In fact, despite having taken the POCO's lineman's written test (and passing with a 94% score) I declined the offer of the job as I KNEW that my fear of heights would be a serious liability (and potential safety hazard) had I been assigned to a crew. (The test was arranged for me by a friend's father who worked for the POCO, I didn't go to apply for a job.)

I have, under very careful supervision, touched a live 12kv lug in a padmount switch. It was an interesting experience and did not make me overly uncomfortable.

I have learned to respect electricity, not fear it. Being aware of consequences is a big foundation towards that respect.
 
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