Pulling residential meters....

[cowboyjwc]

What provision of the OSHA or 70E rules permits this hot work?

See Fulthrotl's post, he's dealing with the same utility company I do. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is the same way.

You do everything, when you are done the come out, cut off and throw away your split bolts and then the use their crimps on the lines if it's over head and they reseal or relock the meter.

We've always done it that way for the 30 or so years I've been doing it. Can't even begin to guess how many service changes I've done.

 

[augie47]

Actually these things are made out of hardened steel. You would burn a dremmel up long before you cut that lock.

Not that i would ever do so, but I hear that on the ones POCO uses here, the dremel will cut thru the band itself like butter....
the lock reamins intact on the band which is laying on the ground.

(depends on type meter & lock I';m sure)

 

[480sparky]

While on the subject, does anyone have, or use, one of these?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

John,
I am not doubting that the utility makes you do it hot, I just don't see any porvision of the safety rules that would permit you to do it hot. I wonder how much liability the utility would have if you got hurt working it hot, per their rules and in violation of the OSHA rules?

 

[specgrade]

My resi meter was changed out for a remote read one and the guy doing the work was the meter reader. He pulled the old one hot and installed the new one just as easily. Scared me....

 

[Fulthrotl]

Actually these things are made out of hardened steel. You would burn a dremmel up long before you cut that lock.

slit the band, using a dremel 1" grinding wheel.
go in tangential to the radius of the meter, then across the face of the
band, then nick it on the backside, using the much reduced in diameter
dremel slitting wheel.

flex it a bit with channel locks, until the backside separates, spring it apart,
and voila!

not that i've ever done that, but i heard someone once tell how someone
told them it might be done.

 

[Fulthrotl]

While on the subject, does anyone have, or use, one of these?

i will. i just got the p.o. for the changeout.... i've never seen one of these
before. they are very cool.

at $140, not cheap, but i'm tired of having to pull stuck meters out, while
crossing my eyes, and holding my breath.

thanks for posting this.

 

[zog]

While on the subject, does anyone have, or use, one of these?

You would think this company would have the guy in the right PPE for this picture.

 

[billsnuff]

is this better?

is this better?

 

[zog]

Face sheild not arc rated, no balaclava, cant tell if the clothing is FR or not, looks like regular blue jeans to me. Tool pouch is flammable, if he is wearing FR clothing that is a violation also.

 

[augie47]

in a few years.....

View attachment 3062

 

[jrannis]

Is that for branch breakers or mains? Where I used to be, residential service 200A was fed of an overhead from a 500kva-750kva transformer and I believe the POCO calcs worked out to 500kva=22AIC and 750AIC=42000 for the main breaker (I could be wrong, its been a while).

lucky to have a 30 or a 50 around here

 

[zog]

in a few years.....

View attachment 3062

Ha ha, actually there is alot of really good work happening to make the PPE safer, lighter, more comfortable, and better looking. I think in the future the PPE needed will be very minimal becasue we are figuring out how to mitigate these hazards to levels that require little or no PPE.

All switchgear manufactures are making arc resistant switchgear, and systems are being designed with arc flash reduction methods in mind. I do mostly mitigation projects and can eliminate or reduce the hazards and PPE required for almost any system. Keep in mind all this arc flash stuff is new to everyone, electriciians, safety managers, engineers, OEM's, and specialists like me. Everything is changing.

Anyone who has worked on power systems from the 1920's - 1930's has seen exposed, uninsulated busbars with "frankenstein" style switches, back then, thats how it was, then everything changed with metal clad gear, gaurded parts, etc... This is the next step in the evolution of electrical systems.

 

[infinity]

John,
I am not doubting that the utility makes you do it hot, I just don't see any porvision of the safety rules that would permit you to do it hot. I wonder how much liability the utility would have if you got hurt working it hot, per their rules and in violation of the OSHA rules?

Don, correct me if I'm wrong, but if you're the owner of the company and want to risk blowing yourself up you are still permitted to do so even by OSHA standards.


Around here we've been disconnecting and reconnect on service upgrades for 25 years.

 

[TOOL_5150]

While on the subject, does anyone have, or use, one of these?

Thanks for the link!

~Matt

 

[cowboyjwc]

Not that i would ever do so, but I hear that on the ones POCO uses here, the dremel will cut thru the band itself like butter....
the lock reamins intact on the band which is laying on the ground.

(depends on type meter & lock I';m sure)

That would be my guess to that it depends on the lock. I used a diamond tiped SazAll blade and all I did was scratch the brass.:grin:

 

[cowboyjwc]

John,
I am not doubting that the utility makes you do it hot, I just don't see any porvision of the safety rules that would permit you to do it hot. I wonder how much liability the utility would have if you got hurt working it hot, per their rules and in violation of the OSHA rules?

And I'm not doubting that you're right.:smile:

Guess it's just one of those, "we've always done it that way" things. The problem I've always seen when they do cut the power, is that you're never sure when they are going to get back to restore it.

Actually I believe that our utility company follows GO95 (Government Order 95) and are not held to the same rules and regulations as we are. And just to limit the discussion on this, I'm only guessing.:-?

 

[rt66electric]

buy a key on ebay

buy a key on ebay

slit the band, using a dremel 1" grinding wheel.
go in tangential to the radius of the meter, then across the face of the
band, then nick it on the backside, using the much reduced in diameter
dremel slitting wheel.

flex it a bit with channel locks, until the backside separates, spring it apart,
and voila!

not that i've ever done that, but i heard someone once tell how someone
told them it might be done.

I found the "barrel Lock" key/tool on ebay $138

 

[220/221]

I have noticed that POCO guys are really rough with meters.

When I pull one I stand to the side and look away.

We are not allowed to pull meters so a simple one hour service call to replace a main breaker becomes a half day ordeal involving about 6 people.

 

[electricalperson]

ill pull any meter if i have too. but if we cut a commercial service we can loose our licenses. if theres an emergency then i would cut it