Hidden Home Hazards: Electric Utility Meters

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celtic

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Hidden Home Hazards: Electric Utility Meters

Hidden Home Hazards: Electric Utility Meters

Expert: Inconspicuous Meters Can Cause House Fires



NEW YORK (CBS) ― Hundreds of New Yorkers may be at risk to lose their homes in raging fires, but what's more shocking what could cause the fires: your utility's electric meter.

It may sound far-fetched, but it was a frightening reality for the Norris family of White Plains, who recently moved into a new house seven months after watching their previous one burn to the ground.....


In fact, most recent statistics from a three-year period show some 425 house fires nationwide have been started at the meter, which is what the Norris' believe happened to them.
A new digital meter was installed four months earlier in their house, but they say Con Ed never got permission nor notified them. Mr. Norris discovered the new unit just two hours before the fire ignited.
(Click the link above for full story and video from CBS news)



What do you think about this?
 

JohnJ0906

Senior Member
Location
Baltimore, MD
LawnGuyLandSparky said:
The utility's "out" is, their meter is perfectly fine, it's YOUR loose jaws in YOUR meter pan that caused the fire...

Can't use that out here. POCO owns (and usually installs) meter cans. :)
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
We got a batch of panels here awhile back that had a loose connection in the "meter socket". The connections were from the clip to the bussing. Had about 5 in one tact of houses where the screw was missing, and then never found any more.

Also reading that article I don't believe that the POCO has to notify them or ask their permission since the meter is property of the POCO.
 

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
It's just another example of media sensationalism.

But I suppose that when the poco's change the meter, they could notify the homeowner needs a meter socket replacement.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Here in Va., we (translation: I) call them meter bases, and the POCO distributes them free, even the multi-gang ones (but not with main breakers), we install them, make up the load-side terminals, they get inspected by the local AHJ, and the POCO makes up the line-side connections.
 

brantmacga

Señor Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Former Child
LarryFine said:
Here in Va., we (translation: I) call them meter bases, and the POCO distributes them free, even the multi-gang ones (but not with main breakers), we install them, make up the load-side terminals, they get inspected by the local AHJ, and the POCO makes up the line-side connections.

same here on all that
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
I was watching "Smokey and the Bandit" last night, one of the greatest movies ever made, and he had a great line.

"When you say something to somebody, it all depends on which part of the country you're standing in, on how dumb it sounds."
 

LawnGuyLandSparky

Senior Member
LarryFine said:
Here in Va., we (translation: I) call them meter bases, and the POCO distributes them free, even the multi-gang ones (but not with main breakers), we install them, make up the load-side terminals, they get inspected by the local AHJ, and the POCO makes up the line-side connections.

Here we install everything, supply everything, and the POCO shoots you in a drive-by. :grin:
 
In White Plains NY
The Utility company is in the process of upgrading the meters in their territory.
Here is what could of happened.
The utility company sends out a notice months before the work is to be performed. In the notice they mention when the meter will be changed and would prefer the homeowner to be home so they can access the disconnect to remove the load. Also to warn anyone about the temporary loss of power (computers, electric clocks, etc...).

The day of the scheduled meter change, they will do it with or without the homowner being home. On some of the change outs, they have damaged the meter pans. Then a private contractor will be called to make the repair.


So, does this lead to fires?...who knows. Is the customer notified? Yes

I have heard that the process of taking the existing meter out is sometimes performed with prybar type tools. Again, I have heard that, I have not been witness to it.
 

360Youth

Senior Member
Location
Newport, NC
First...we call 'em meter base here. "Cans" is probably my second most recognized term.

Next...It should be quite obvious that I have not worked with nearly even 1% of the linemen and meter change outs that go on around here, and one of the area POCOs have spent the last year or so changing out to the digital meters, so there has been a lot of it going on, but I always understood and assumed that if a loose socket was discovered during one of these change outs the lineman would have the decency to inform the HO. Maybe they get so busy swaping out old for new they don't pick up on it. Hopefully the former remains to be more true in the future.
 
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