Pulling residential meters....

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KevinVost

Senior Member
Location
Las Vegas
Hey... there's your niche market!

With the right skills, you can compete with YESCO for the number of trucks on the street!
lighten.gif

I doubt it!
 
Unless you are wearing the proper PPE, the face sheild turns into an arc scoop if you turn your head away.

Interesting thought. Doing it my way, I don't use a faceshield, just gloves and glasses.

I kinda like this item,
mpyeloglov_wl05.jpg


Though putting in the meter w/o the cover on the meter base seems kinda dumb (unless it's a ring less cover, which they don't use in my neck of the woods)
 
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Greg1707

Senior Member
Location
Alexandria, VA
Occupation
Business owner Electrical contractor
Potential for arcing

Potential for arcing

Assuming there is no load, i.e. all of the breakers in the panel are in the open position, what is the potential for arcing when removing or installing a residential meter?
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Assuming there is no load, i.e. all of the breakers in the panel are in the open position, what is the potential for arcing when removing or installing a residential meter?
Broken parts in the meter socket, or them breaking as you attempt to remove the meter.
 

charlie

Senior Member
Location
Indianapolis
besides the cutouts on the poles protecting the transformers
Cutouts on the poles DO NOT protect the transformers, they protect the primary lines from a failed transformer. For instance, we use a 15 T primary fuse to protect a 15 kVA transformer on a 7.62 kV to neutral line. A 15 T medium voltage fuse will carry 150% of its rated current indefinitely. Therefore, 15 A X 150% X 7.62 kV = 171.45 kVA . . . HMMM. That is a lot of overload to pop the fuse so it will only open under fault conditions and will only protect the primary lines to keep as many customers in service as possible. :)
 

AV ELECTRIC

Senior Member
I have always found it puzzling on a service change out that edison wants you to pull the meter do the hot work ( where alot of guys are not trained in) and they wont give you a key for the lock ring on the meter.Ive never seen any requirement from edison written on any form that this is the way its done Its just the way its done. I wouldnt want somebody working on my equipment that ime responsible for what is the legality to that who is responsible if something goes wrong.
 

charlie

Senior Member
Location
Indianapolis
I have always found it puzzling on a service change out that Edison wants you to pull the meter do the hot work ( where a lot of guys are not trained in) and they wont give you a key for the lock ring on the meter. . .
Since they have the key, won't they pull the meter?

. . . they wont give you a key for the lock ring on the meter. . .
Nor should they give you a key. When was the last time you went into any store with a cash register and they let you open the cash drawer to get your own change? That meter is our cash register.

. . . I've never seen any requirement from Edison written on any form that this is the way it's done. It's just the way its done. . .
The procedure should be in writing somewhere. I suspect the field people want it done that way to keep from making multiple trips. If you were able to get it in writing, I doubt you are supposed to be pulling or setting the meter. Therefore, you are supposed to be doing the work dead.

. . . who is responsible if something goes wrong?
Ultimately, you are. You are the qualified person who is responsible for following the OSHA rules and what is in NFPA 70E. :)
 

AV ELECTRIC

Senior Member
Since they have the key, won't they pull the meter?


Nor should they give you a key. When was the last time you went into any store with a cash register and they let you open the cash drawer to get your own change? That meter is our cash register.


The procedure should be in writing somewhere. I suspect the field people want it done that way to keep from making multiple trips. If you were able to get it in writing, I doubt you are supposed to be pulling or setting the meter. Therefore, you are supposed to be doing the work dead.


Ultimately, you are. You are the qualified person who is responsible for following the OSHA rules and what is in NFPA 70E. :)

i agree withyou 100 percent but thats not the way its done with sc edison my point with the key is you call them they come out unlock the ring and good luck call us when you want the ring back on they dont ask if your qaulified to do it ..maybe there should be a training program by your poco on doing this work to qualify you for a key and to do this type of work i was a linemen in the navy this is dangerous work theres no short circuit protection you short those wires out your in trouble .The post began with how do i pull out a meter safely thats scary in itself.
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
Never have to contend with one of these brutes?

ElectricMeterWithLockRing.jpg

That's the one I'm talking about and no dremal tool is going to cut through that is it Sparky?

As for the key, they hold on to those tighter than they do their house keys. I've heard that it's the devil to pay if they lose one, and I thought that I had heard that there's a heavy fine if you get caught with one and are not a utility worker, but I'm not sure about that one.
 

parrkw@aol.com

New member
Watt lock key

Watt lock key

You can use a drill bit that's about the same size as the hole.........just tap it in gently and the balls in the pin will collapse and allow the pin to slide out therefore removing the lockring.And yes you can cut the ring with a dremel tool as long as you don't damage the meter...........hope this was helpful.....K.P.
 
So when I go to cut my hot conductors before the service head. What must I be wearing? and where do I buy it? and for how much? I will be doing a service in about 2 weeks and I want to be looking extra qualified, and alive thereafter.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
So when I go to cut my hot conductors before the service head. What must I be wearing? and where do I buy it? and for how much? I will be doing a service in about 2 weeks and I want to be looking extra qualified, and alive thereafter.


Myself, I would use a cell phone. Call the utility and let them cut the power. Heluva lot cheaper than an arc suit (which, BTW, can be purchased at any reputable construction safety equipment outfit).
 

mxslick

Senior Member
Location
SE Idaho
I have had the joy of two meter explosions on service changes...both times I was very lucky to escape with no more than some singed hair on my arms...I would no longer pull any meter hot, I would cut the drop first or have the POCO do it.

As others in my area have posted, SCE's policy has generally been to let the EC do it, and they also allow (sometimes prefer even) the EC to reconnect the drop on a service change.

Last service change I did for a family friend not only did the SCE crew essentially call me a wuss for not reconnecting the drop, they were kind enough to give me some meter socket blank covers, rings and seals. :D
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
That's pretty spiffy. Beats close your eyes and pray.
I don't think that the user of the meter puller has the proper PPE for that job. I would expect that he needs more flash protection as there is no overcurrent protection on the line side of that meter.
 

daleuger

Senior Member
Location
earth
I don't think that the user of the meter puller has the proper PPE for that job. I would expect that he needs more flash protection as there is no overcurrent protection on the line side of that meter.

I meant the meter pulling contraption itself. I wasn't even getting into PPE.
 
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