5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
- Thread starter physis
- Start date
- Status
busman
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern Virginia
- Occupation
- Master Electrician / Electrical Engineer
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
Physis,
I could not decide if you were talking about hooking up power to the residence or putting in the final. Around here (VA) we are expected to splice the old SE conductors to the new SE conductors on the day of the upgrade. This is done by placing the new meter enclosure adjacent to the old one (or moving the old one if necessary). We then run new SE conductors from the meter to the panel. At the meter can, we run them in the bottom and out through the meter hole (being careful to preserve the cardboard as much as possible to prevent bird nesting). We then splice these to the old conductors coming from the old meter can.
At this point, we call the PoCo and when they get to it (I have seen as long as 4 months) they come and terminate the new conductors in the meter can and upgrade the drop/lateral.
Hope this helps.
Mark
Physis,
I could not decide if you were talking about hooking up power to the residence or putting in the final. Around here (VA) we are expected to splice the old SE conductors to the new SE conductors on the day of the upgrade. This is done by placing the new meter enclosure adjacent to the old one (or moving the old one if necessary). We then run new SE conductors from the meter to the panel. At the meter can, we run them in the bottom and out through the meter hole (being careful to preserve the cardboard as much as possible to prevent bird nesting). We then splice these to the old conductors coming from the old meter can.
At this point, we call the PoCo and when they get to it (I have seen as long as 4 months) they come and terminate the new conductors in the meter can and upgrade the drop/lateral.
Hope this helps.
Mark
davedottcom
Senior Member
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
Sam, next time try calling the power Co. to simply report a "power outage". When the repair crew shows up just point at the wires and say.."I think I see the problem right up there...Damn squirls!"
Sam, next time try calling the power Co. to simply report a "power outage". When the repair crew shows up just point at the wires and say.."I think I see the problem right up there...Damn squirls!"
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
I remember doing the backfeed thing along time ago. Alot of places stopped doing them a while back because of the potential that someone could get there hands into the new meter and get killed.
Here we have to schedule the disconnect/re-connect in advance with the poco and the inspector. Once you are on the schedule everything else goes smoothly.
The poco still will not re-connect without the inspectors approval, but he know the right number to call to get it done for you right away.
I remember doing the backfeed thing along time ago. Alot of places stopped doing them a while back because of the potential that someone could get there hands into the new meter and get killed.
Here we have to schedule the disconnect/re-connect in advance with the poco and the inspector. Once you are on the schedule everything else goes smoothly.
The poco still will not re-connect without the inspectors approval, but he know the right number to call to get it done for you right away.
electricmanscott
Senior Member
- Location
- Boston, MA
- Occupation
- Massachusetts Master Electrician, one man show.
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
I always reconnect service upgrades myself. Some pocos here require a permanent reconnection be done by the electrician while others come out after inspection and redo the connection.
I always reconnect service upgrades myself. Some pocos here require a permanent reconnection be done by the electrician while others come out after inspection and redo the connection.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician (retired)
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
We always disconnect the old service and reconnect the new service ourselves on a service upgrade. This allows us to complete the job in one day without too much disruption to the customer. We simply pull the old meter and install it in the new meter pan. Some older homes with 30 or 60 amp services have meters that are connected with 4 wire leads. For those we get an adapter from the POCO so we can still connect the old meter to the new plugin meter pan. It usually takes the POCO about a month to come out and change the meter and the splice connections that we've made to the service drop.
We always disconnect the old service and reconnect the new service ourselves on a service upgrade. This allows us to complete the job in one day without too much disruption to the customer. We simply pull the old meter and install it in the new meter pan. Some older homes with 30 or 60 amp services have meters that are connected with 4 wire leads. For those we get an adapter from the POCO so we can still connect the old meter to the new plugin meter pan. It usually takes the POCO about a month to come out and change the meter and the splice connections that we've made to the service drop.
jimwalker
Senior Member
- Location
- TAMPA FLORIDA
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
Never had any problems here like that.Schedule a disconnect and re connect or just do it all my self.Someone is dropping the ball if your having problems like this.
Never had any problems here like that.Schedule a disconnect and re connect or just do it all my self.Someone is dropping the ball if your having problems like this.
busman
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern Virginia
- Occupation
- Master Electrician / Electrical Engineer
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
jbwhite,
I probably did not make it clear, but our process (as required by the PoCo) is to splice the old conductors to the new conductors - the terminals of the new meter can are not involved. The only reason we involve the new meter can is so that the conduit or cable is run into the bottom of the can and the can is mounted. As I said, the conductors run up into the bottom of the new can and out the meter hole where they are then spliced to the conductors from the old meter/can. Unless someone messes with the taped splices, there is no danger. Wish I had a picture.
Mark
jbwhite,
I probably did not make it clear, but our process (as required by the PoCo) is to splice the old conductors to the new conductors - the terminals of the new meter can are not involved. The only reason we involve the new meter can is so that the conduit or cable is run into the bottom of the can and the can is mounted. As I said, the conductors run up into the bottom of the new can and out the meter hole where they are then spliced to the conductors from the old meter/can. Unless someone messes with the taped splices, there is no danger. Wish I had a picture.
Mark
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician (retired)
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
So you're not connecting the new load side of the meter can with the new conductors, just splicing them to the old conductors through the hole in the front of the meter pan. Who connects the new conductors to the new meter pan?
physis
Senior Member
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
The building had a 120v. 2 wire service and the old wire terminal meter. They need a new service drop and a meter.
I've never had any problems dealing with PG&E before. I've gotten them out the same day. Now they're acting more like DMV. It did rain last week. They said there were some outages that had priority. I suppose a bunch of transformers might of blew up or some poles fell over.
On the commercials the guy shows up like a super hero in the middle of a huricane at 3:00 in the morning with a big polite smile and does a lot of brave things to fix the electricity so the family's cold wet puppy can be safe and warm again. He's shaking peoples hands, people are giving him gifts. He's doin' a bunch of extra things he didn't have to.
The building had a 120v. 2 wire service and the old wire terminal meter. They need a new service drop and a meter.
I've never had any problems dealing with PG&E before. I've gotten them out the same day. Now they're acting more like DMV. It did rain last week. They said there were some outages that had priority. I suppose a bunch of transformers might of blew up or some poles fell over.
On the commercials the guy shows up like a super hero in the middle of a huricane at 3:00 in the morning with a big polite smile and does a lot of brave things to fix the electricity so the family's cold wet puppy can be safe and warm again. He's shaking peoples hands, people are giving him gifts. He's doin' a bunch of extra things he didn't have to.
davedottcom
Senior Member
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
You could have called it in as an "Outage"!
SEE!
You could have called it in as an "Outage"!
busman
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern Virginia
- Occupation
- Master Electrician / Electrical Engineer
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
The PoCo cuts the load conductors to length and terminates in the new meter can. The biggest problem is that I rarely get my 3 4/0 splicing blocks back and at $2.50 a piece, I just have to write them off.
Mark
The PoCo cuts the load conductors to length and terminates in the new meter can. The biggest problem is that I rarely get my 3 4/0 splicing blocks back and at $2.50 a piece, I just have to write them off.
Mark
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
Mark, I'm in VA also, and I usually make up the new load-side terminals, and manage to fit the ends of a #2 al jumper in the same lugs, and connect the other end to the original load-side terminals.
That way, pulling and installing the meter in the old base acts as our disconnect, so we don't have to touch anything live. Plus, we don't have any splice-blocks to lose. Where are you, if you don't mind?
Mark, I'm in VA also, and I usually make up the new load-side terminals, and manage to fit the ends of a #2 al jumper in the same lugs, and connect the other end to the original load-side terminals.
That way, pulling and installing the meter in the old base acts as our disconnect, so we don't have to touch anything live. Plus, we don't have any splice-blocks to lose. Where are you, if you don't mind?
kbsparky
Senior Member
- Location
- Delmarva, USA
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
Have you ever used a cheap romex connector for this? When I complained about the cost of lost "bugs" that's what they told me to use
jimwalker
Senior Member
- Location
- TAMPA FLORIDA
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
Was your profit so low that you even care about them ?
Was your profit so low that you even care about them ?
busman
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern Virginia
- Occupation
- Master Electrician / Electrical Engineer
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
Larry - I'm in Northern VA, primarily Farifax County. If you want more information about the local Dominion Power rules, check the following:
Dominion Blue Book
Especially page 54.
Is there a romex connector that will handle a 4/0 conductor that I don't know about?
No, the profit is not so low that $7.50 makes a difference, its just annoying to give these things away.
Mark
Larry - I'm in Northern VA, primarily Farifax County. If you want more information about the local Dominion Power rules, check the following:
Dominion Blue Book
Especially page 54.
Is there a romex connector that will handle a 4/0 conductor that I don't know about?
No, the profit is not so low that $7.50 makes a difference, its just annoying to give these things away.
Mark
sandsnow
Senior Member
- Location
- Southern California
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
Sam, that's bad. I started getting info for new service at our cabin in southern california high desert
4 to 6 weeks lead time for a planner to come out to spot the service location. Who knows how far out they are for installation.
How does $20 dollars a foot sound to those who do that; for new service install - overhead distribution?
It hit me hard since we're about 300' away from the XFMR
Sam, that's bad. I started getting info for new service at our cabin in southern california high desert
4 to 6 weeks lead time for a planner to come out to spot the service location. Who knows how far out they are for installation.
How does $20 dollars a foot sound to those who do that; for new service install - overhead distribution?
It hit me hard since we're about 300' away from the XFMR
paul
Senior Member
- Location
- Snohomish, WA
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
I used to do the change-out hot, but now I prefer to coordinate the inspector and POCO. The one bonus of doing it hot, is that you can temp connect your leads off the service drop to a recept for power while doing the job. I used to have a nice setup with two breakers and two recepts for this very purpose.
I've seen the temp connections done with zip ties or tie wire because they wouldn't get their butt splices back.
I used to do the change-out hot, but now I prefer to coordinate the inspector and POCO. The one bonus of doing it hot, is that you can temp connect your leads off the service drop to a recept for power while doing the job. I used to have a nice setup with two breakers and two recepts for this very purpose.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
I used to live in N. Springfield, just inside the beltway off of Braddock Rd.
Exactly what we do, and I described above, except that we trim and install the load-side conductors, and add the temporary jumper's ends into the load-side terminals, using them as connecting blocks, so there's nothing we leave, except the jumper itself.
Yes, 3/4" or 1" Tomics.
Re: 5 Days to Reconnect a Service?
physis: which county? San Mateo, SF, Alameda, Contra Costa. I worked with another EC in SF, Alameda, and CC, and SF was a little different. I found PG&E to be different in each county. In Sonoma, I'd get the new panel inspected, wait for PG&E to energize the new panel, then switch the circuits. i just saw too many outages.
My EC buddy would get the panel inspected and then just use couple taps to switch the feeds, at least in Alameda and CC. he'd ask the homeowner to get the taps back from PG&E. Whether it was formally okay or not, it took the load off PG&E as far as timing, get to it when they could. Sometimes it wouldn't work that way. Then he would tell them that he temporarily jumped from old to new, and let him know when they were going to get to it. He wouldn't let the homeowner go without power.
But I found PG&E variably snotty and snooty. I live in an area where they put those big band locks on, especially where some uppity EC would just pull the meter. I saw my buddy jump the power lines, jump the meter, blank it and then call PG&E and tell them that the guy was getting free power. He had bigger b***s than me.
The world is getting pretty petty sometimes, but be glad you don't work in Sonoma Cty. as it is even pettier.
paul
physis: which county? San Mateo, SF, Alameda, Contra Costa. I worked with another EC in SF, Alameda, and CC, and SF was a little different. I found PG&E to be different in each county. In Sonoma, I'd get the new panel inspected, wait for PG&E to energize the new panel, then switch the circuits. i just saw too many outages.
My EC buddy would get the panel inspected and then just use couple taps to switch the feeds, at least in Alameda and CC. he'd ask the homeowner to get the taps back from PG&E. Whether it was formally okay or not, it took the load off PG&E as far as timing, get to it when they could. Sometimes it wouldn't work that way. Then he would tell them that he temporarily jumped from old to new, and let him know when they were going to get to it. He wouldn't let the homeowner go without power.
But I found PG&E variably snotty and snooty. I live in an area where they put those big band locks on, especially where some uppity EC would just pull the meter. I saw my buddy jump the power lines, jump the meter, blank it and then call PG&E and tell them that the guy was getting free power. He had bigger b***s than me.
The world is getting pretty petty sometimes, but be glad you don't work in Sonoma Cty. as it is even pettier.
paul
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