Minuteman
Senior Member
- Location
- The Sooner Nation
This realtor/property management company we have done some work for in the past, picked up an old, three run down building to manage. We have made a few repairs and added a circuit this year.
The new tenant in #3 has no power to her range. The guy who took the call could not figure out the problem and called me. He said that the bottom half of the split bus panel had power, but the top half (where the range breaker is) did not have power. There are 8 units, with the meters and panels all in the basement, and they are all nippled together.
Before I arrived, he figured out that the 2 pole breaker that feed the bottom half was off, so he flipped it on and the top half had power. So he was picking up tools, and preparing to leave. While we we talking, I noticed that meter #3 had a Red "cut off" meter seal. Hmmmm? I took the panel cover off and there was an unlabeled 50-amp breaker in the bottom half that had #6 thhn going into the nipple. Most of the old conductors were old romex or TW. We traced the #6's through the nipples into a 50-amp breaker in panel #6. Oh, and #3 used to be the maintenance man's apartment.
Okay, up to talk to the lady in #3.
"Have you paid your deposit with the PoCo?"
"No, I have to wait to the 1st of the month"
"Well, we need to shut off the temporary power that you have".
The new leasing agent was on site, so I told her the story. She called the main office, and a call back gave me the instructions to move the bootleg power to the house panel. Well. the range has only 2 burners and a small oven, so it might not trip the 50-amp "temp service" rating.
I just hope for the manager's sake, that the tenant #6 doesn't find out.
The new tenant in #3 has no power to her range. The guy who took the call could not figure out the problem and called me. He said that the bottom half of the split bus panel had power, but the top half (where the range breaker is) did not have power. There are 8 units, with the meters and panels all in the basement, and they are all nippled together.
Before I arrived, he figured out that the 2 pole breaker that feed the bottom half was off, so he flipped it on and the top half had power. So he was picking up tools, and preparing to leave. While we we talking, I noticed that meter #3 had a Red "cut off" meter seal. Hmmmm? I took the panel cover off and there was an unlabeled 50-amp breaker in the bottom half that had #6 thhn going into the nipple. Most of the old conductors were old romex or TW. We traced the #6's through the nipples into a 50-amp breaker in panel #6. Oh, and #3 used to be the maintenance man's apartment.
Okay, up to talk to the lady in #3.
"Have you paid your deposit with the PoCo?"
"No, I have to wait to the 1st of the month"
"Well, we need to shut off the temporary power that you have".
The new leasing agent was on site, so I told her the story. She called the main office, and a call back gave me the instructions to move the bootleg power to the house panel. Well. the range has only 2 burners and a small oven, so it might not trip the 50-amp "temp service" rating.
I just hope for the manager's sake, that the tenant #6 doesn't find out.
