CONTRACTOR ABANDONED SERVICE UPGRADE - Left This Hanging

[mtnelect]

Project was to combine two meters into one, but the contractor abandoned the job, and left the second live service drop hanging.

 

[infinity]

Are you saying that he should have disconnected it? Isn't the drop under the control of the POCO? A sparkie shouldn't be climbing the pole and disconnecting it.

 

[mtnelect]

Are you saying that he should have disconnected it? Isn't the drop under the control of the POCO? A sparkie shouldn't be climbing the pole and disconnecting it.

He pulled a permit in 06-28-2022 but abandoned the project without notifying Water & Power.

 

[electrofelon]

I don't really see a problem. POCO leaves live but taped off service drops all the time.

 

[mtnelect]

I don't really see a problem. POCO leaves live but taped off service drops all the time.

The original problem was the customer was still being charged by Water & Power for two meters.

 

[AC\DC]

????. That's not electrician problem. The power company is in charge of there meters they should know if there meter are still in use. I don't quite grasp the gripe. Who cares if he abandoned the job might of been a headache, If what he touched did not damage or left dangerous, how is he responsible for a Utility? every one trying to pass the buck, terrible.
The power company is that dumb to not see a load usage or property owner that dump to still get charged two meters, knowing one is not in use., either way not electrical fault.

 

[mtnelect]

????. That's not electrician problem. The power company is in charge of there meters they should know if there meter are still in use. I don't quite grasp the gripe. Who cares if he abandoned the job might of been a headache, If what he touched did not damage or left dangerous, how is he responsible for a Utility? every one trying to pass the buck, terrible.
The power company is that dumb to not see a load usage or property owner that dump to still get charged two meters, knowing one is not in use., either way not electrical fault.

I know that this forum is set up as a resource for the electrical trade, but also as good business practices. Having a dispute with the customer, I have a hard fast rule, The customer is always right, just packing up and abandoning the project, in my opinion is not right.

 

[hbiss]

I know that this forum is set up as a resource for the electrical trade, but also as good business practices. Having a dispute with the customer, I have a hard fast rule, The customer is always right, just packing up and abandoning the project, in my opinion is not right.

I would like to hear the contractor's side of the story. Seems to me like all the customer has to do is call customer service, tell them that the service is no longer in use, stop billing and have them send someone over to check it out. Real easy to not get off their a** and blame everything on the contractor.

-Hal

 

[mtnelect]

I would like to hear the contractor's side of the story. Seems to me like all the customer has to do is call customer service, tell them that the service is no longer in use, stop billing and have them send someone over to check it out. Real easy to not get off their a** and blame everything on the contractor.

-Hal

I have learned that without putting the customer first, you will be out of business eventually. It's all about communication, it is like on commercial projects. They have discovered that on a large commercial project a "Resolution Committee" is necessary. Does the project shutdown and all the subs walkaway because of a dispute. Same applies on smaller projects. The contractor says it's my way or the highway. No, resolve your differences and move on to complete the project, you might not have a Resolution Commitee, but it's up to you to resolve the differences, for the good of the trade.

 

[electrofelon]

Clearly we don't know the whole story, and this seems fishy. So There were two service drops each feeding different meters on the same building? That is extremely unusual. Did he do the combining or leave the one meter unenergized? What didn't he finish?

 

[mtnelect]

Clearly we don't know the whole story, and this seems fishy. So There were two service drops each feeding different meters on the same building? That is extremely unusual. Did he do the combining or leave the one meter unenergized? What didn't he finish?

This was a solar project and a service upgrade. In the City of Los Angeles, they have a special process for solar under 10K, you can pull a permit online without an engineering plan but must produce it later. This contractor did that but failed to go to water & power and clear it with them. No, spot request, no agreement signed in regard to solar power sharing. When he discovered that he started the project without any approval, he left.

 

[mtnelect]

In regard to consolidating two meters to one. The first meter was for a ADU and the second meter was for a house. The owner wanted to combine the two meters to one.

 

[hbiss]

This contractor did that but failed to go to water & power and clear it with them. No, spot request, no agreement signed in regard to solar power sharing. When he discovered that he started the project without any approval, he left.

So, you expect that a contractor like this is going to care about taking care of the customer? Maybe the customer should have done some due diligence before they hired the guy.

-Hal

 

[gadfly56]

So, you expect that a contractor like this is going to care about taking care of the customer? Maybe the customer should have done some due diligence before they hired the guy.

-Hal

Easy to say, hard to do. It's not like there's a list, "Crappy EC's to Avoid". Calling previous customers? How many here want to talk to a stranger out of the blue calling about work you had done on your house?

 

[electrofelon]

In regard to consolidating two meters to one. The first meter was for a ADU and the second meter was for a house. The owner wanted to combine the two meters to one.

So they had two service drops, one feeding each meter?

 

[jaggedben]

Contractor is probably used to working in IOU territory.

 

[mtnelect]

So they had two service drops, one feeding each meter?

Correct ...

The state is having an inrush of solar complaints:
1) High pressure salesman promising free installation and free power
2) Using finance companies that pay the contractor upfront before project is started
3) Using "PACE" to pay for the installation that shows up on your property tax bill
4) The state has set up a fund to compensate customers that have been taken advantage of.

 

[mtnelect]

Contractor is probably used to working in IOU territory.

Correct ...

The majority of the complaints are in low-income areas.

 

[AC\DC]

Correct ...

The state is having an inrush of solar complaints:
1) High pressure salesman promising free installation and free power
2) Using finance companies that pay the contractor upfront before project is started
3) Using "PACE" to pay for the installation that shows up on your property tax bill
4) The state has set up a fund to compensate customers that have been taken advantage of.

If you’re that dumb to not do your research when your spending your money that’s your fault. You can’t walk through life with blinders on or we get to we’re we are now lol

 

[electrofelon]

Correct ...

The state is having an inrush of solar complaints:
1) High pressure salesman promising free installation and free power
2) Using finance companies that pay the contractor upfront before project is started
3) Using "PACE" to pay for the installation that shows up on your property tax bill
4) The state has set up a fund to compensate customers that have been taken advantage of.

Oh I see, this is an anti solar thread. Got it now.