Changing a service hot

[mivey]

I don't "expect" a boom. It just makes me feel more comfortable. And I don't jamb them together hard enough for a boom, just a little pffffft.

Exactly. You have already made prior checks but it is just one more check before commitment.

Kind of like turning your head when cutting on a breaker. I have already megged feeder, etc and don't expect a boom, but I turn my head just in case.

 

[mivey]

You know, I felt the same way recently, only to watch an FPE panel explode when I re-energized it. I spent the next four hours going over that minute in my mind, and never really figured out what went wrong.

Megger is on the way.

And the boom would probably have happened, POCO or no POCO.

 

[Mike Lang]

I pretty much always do them live. The power company doesn't seem to care in NJ, my old boss called once for a disconect and they asked him if he were a licensed electrician... he said yes and they replied well what's the problem. So since then we've been doing them on our own.

 

[peter d]

Well, I think all of us do the touching wire thingamabob dealy-o when reconnecting a service. My main point was using that method without doing any kind of testing is an extremely bad idea.

 

[electricalperson]

i do it hot. do it old school barehanded with burndys and rubber tape

 

[MrMilbank]

i dont even use a ladder, its too much overhead.

 

[daleuger]

i do it hot. do it old school barehanded with burndys and rubber tape

You're one of those that "can't feel" a shock anymore aren't you?

 

[kbsparky]

Around here, the PoCo .... steal your 3 bugs and your section of SE cable for scrap and go on their way....

We used some regular romex connectors for such occasions. Much cheaper than good bugs, and expendable too.

 

[iMuse97]

I don't "expect" a boom. It just makes me feel more comfortable. And I don't jamb them together hard enough for a boom, just a little pffffft.

Here is the tool and the crimps that POCO uses here.

Love that tool. The last place I worked for another guy actually had these for the bucket trucks. Very nice. This would be even faster than those polaris connectors someone else mentioned.

 

[electricalperson]

You're one of those that "can't feel" a shock anymore aren't you?

if your on a fiberglass ladder and not grounded you wont get shocked. ive done this in the snow. its pretty scary the first time you do it. normally now i wear rubber insulated gloves and use polaris connectors but i do use burndys when i dont have those connectors.

helpers are always scared when you tell them to connect the service at the top for the first time. usually i let the 3rd or 4th year guys do that

 

[RonPecinaJr]

POCO uses compression type crimps.

They have a cordless drill/type tool that squeezes them then they snap/tape a plastic cover around them.


In the olden days, I used to use these.

I do them live but have never done anything higher than 200 amp.

By the way, those are awesome "bugs" I've used them before and they're very easy to use.

And yes I do them bare-handed too. But when the chance presents itself I ask the POCO for a pair free insulated gloves. Nothing yet, but i'll keep asking.

 

[Short.Circuit]

POCO uses compression type crimps.

They have a cordless drill/type tool that squeezes them then they snap/tape a plastic cover around them.


In the olden days, I used to use these.

do you know who sells these things? i've used the one screw ones, but i like the looks of the 2 screws on each side.
thanks

 

[1793]

Most of the time I work them hot. Changing a "Mast" is another story.

 

[electricalperson]

Most of the time I work them hot. Changing a "Mast" is another story.

i one time had to remove an overhead drop off of a house, throw it on the ground after i taped the ends up, then come down the ladder and wrap it up and tie it to the pole with a piece of romex and connect an underground service the service drop was live the entire time

 

[1793]

i one time had to remove an overhead drop off of a house, throw it on the ground after i taped the ends up, then come down the ladder and wrap it up and tie it to the pole with a piece of romex and connect an underground service the service drop was live the entire time

I bet that was fun!

 

[mivey]

i one time had to remove an overhead drop off of a house, throw it on the ground after i taped the ends up, then come down the ladder and wrap it up and tie it to the pole with a piece of romex and connect an underground service the service drop was live the entire time

That can cause some serious fireworks if the squirrels have been running up and down the drop.

 

[okeefe]

We do them hot here in upstate NY. I will use a center bolt parallel connector and tape it up for over head services. Poco comes backa few days latter and crimps them. It takes to long for Poco to show up for a disconnect reconnect.

 

[RJohnsonMasterElectrician]

I couldn't tell you how many I have cut over hot.

 

[TOOL_5150]

i one time had to remove an overhead drop off of a house, throw it on the ground after i taped the ends up, then come down the ladder and wrap it up and tie it to the pole with a piece of romex and connect an underground service the service drop was live the entire time

Interesting.

I prefer to use the proper rigging equipment to keep the drop off the ground. I change / move / install new masts all the time, and not once have I let the drop lay on the ground, nor would i EVER think about letting it fall to the ground.

~Matt

 

[daleuger]

if your on a fiberglass ladder and not grounded you wont get shocked. ive done this in the snow. its pretty scary the first time you do it. normally now i wear rubber insulated gloves and use polaris connectors but i do use burndys when i dont have those connectors.

helpers are always scared when you tell them to connect the service at the top for the first time. usually i let the 3rd or 4th year guys do that

Yes I remember being on the receiving end of that. You get a little more comfortable with it but I still wouldn't do it bare handed. 200 Amps in the teeth probably wouldn't feel too nice IMO.