Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

[n_ogden]

Hello Members of this Forum!
I was reading a few topics on meter seals, and how electricians are not allowed to break them. I have witnessed some utilities actually having electrical contractors carry meter seals. The utility gives them a color, and if you are to do a change out and the meter person arrives and sees the color of the seal for a contrator, everything is okay. Are any of you offered that same opportunity when you have to disconnect the meter for a few moments? And also, have you ever got in trouble for breaking a seal, when you are not supposed to? I am not talking about breaking the seal intentionally for theft of service. Any thoughts on this would help. Thanks.
I also collect meter seals, cut and new, etc. I only collect seals that are obtained legally(found on the ground, etc.). I do not collect seals that have been stolen or removed due to meter tampering. Yes, weird hobby indeed! Hopefully some of you can help me, especially if you encounter metering equipent or run into an electric meter every now and again. Any thoughts and/or help would be appreciated! Send me an email if you want to send me some seals.
~Nick Ogden

(edited to remove email address)

[ March 10, 2004, 05:49 PM: Message edited by: bill addiss ]

 

[noxx]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

I have told many, many PoCo employees over the years to go kick rocks when confronted about meter seals, and to date have never been in any legal or financial hassle over it.

My customer owns the meter base, if I, as a qualified person, require acess to that base, I will defeat and remove a meter lock myself if PoCo does not respond in a timely fashion.

I've heard them bark a lot, but that's the extent of it.

 

[jimwalker]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

I have cut my share of them.Even been told to by the poco a few times.Bottom line is my safety first.I am not suggesting theft.

 

[tonyi]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

If (a big if) you can get through to a field crew on the phone and not some ordinary customer support boob 300 miles away, I've found them to be pretty cooperative. I'll tell'em the address where I'm going to be working and they leave a new seal hanging on the meter next time they're in the area so I can reseal when I'm done doing whetever I had to do.

 

[jimwalker]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

I see no reason that EC could not be handed seals with serial #.Make us account for where we used them and why if that helps.Very few EC would steal electric,maybe a few cents worth to hot check

[ March 10, 2004, 07:50 PM: Message edited by: jimwalker ]

 

[hurk27]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

Here in North west Indiana we just notify the POCO when were done. But they want the old seal hanging on the can. When we encounter a meter lock then it's a different story, it would have to be an EMG. to remove a lock and they respond pretty quickly when one needs to be removed.

 

[hurk27]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

n_ogden
The reason we don't show our e-mail address's is there are allot of address harvister's out there that use them to spam everyone or to send virus's to us. so it is never a good thing to post you e-mail to a public forum or anywhere that these harvestor's can get too. just ask people to PM you and then you can send them a reply with your e-mail address.

 

[bill addiss]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

Wayne,

The thread above yours was removed at n_ogden's request. If anyone would like to contact him the pm feature works very well.

Bill

 

[hurk27]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

Bill Was I correct in saying what I said/

 

[bill addiss]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

Wayne,

Sure, nowadays it's not the best idea to have your email address all over the place and it's not necessary here because we have the pm feature.

Another reason it's not desireable is because it's often used as a form of advertising.

Bill

[ March 11, 2004, 01:24 AM: Message edited by: bill addiss ]

 

[noxx]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

Originally posted by hurk27:
Here in North west Indiana we just notify the POCO when were done. But they want the old seal hanging on the can. When we encounter a meter lock then it's a different story, it would have to be an EMG. to remove a lock and they respond pretty quickly when one needs to be removed.

When I need a lock off for say, an emergency service changeout, I notify POCO and cut it. They bill the customer $27 for replacing the lock, but most customers find it preferable to paying me $170 to wait two hours for Ed. :roll:

 

[goldstar]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

In my area of New Jersey there are 3 major PoCo's operating in a 50 mile radius all of which require you to file with them when performing a service upgrade. Cutting the tags has never been a problem. Some use meter locks and I go through the courtesy of asking to have the locks removed a week ahead of time but I usually end up cutting the lock off with a sawsall. In spite of popular belief I do try to make money doing this and I can't wait for a PoCo rep to come and remove the tag or lock. If they ever start issuing fines for this there's going to be some flap from contractors' associations.

I like the idea of having "contractor tags" but that is not available in my area.

 

[caosesvida]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

here its generally offical policy not to cut them, but if you call in and talk to the service guy and he's on the way or will be, no problem.

 

[brian john]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

If there is a seal and we need in the CT cabinet, we cut it in, 30 plus years I have only been notified by the local utility one time (by mail) that they did not want us to cut seals and gave us a number to contact. The first time I called the number they told be 4-5 hours, they never showed, and it would not have mattered as I cut the seal with in 10 minutes of calling them.

 

[n_ogden]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

Hey Brian,
I'm in the DC Metro Area myself. Would the company be that you were talking about? Would it be NOVEC? I know they are strict and really pushy about anything. Dominion is a good company. They are the ones who give contractors meter seals by the way. If its a black one, you know a contractor has been there!

~Nick Ogden

 

[wire nut]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

Yea, I got yelled at for not only breaking a seal, but physically returning a meter to the utility provider.

Short story - Duplex house, had three services, two for living units and the third was for a metered electric hot water heater. All services were to be upgraded to two 200 amp services. Permit was obtained and utility provider notified. The metered electric hot water heater account was to be discontinued and the utility provider inspector gave me verbal approval to walk the meter into their office since their building was only 1/2 mile down the road.

The new services were installed and working just peachie. I walked the third meter into the utility provider's office as was verbally agreed to by the utility inspector. When I placed the meter on the receptionist's counter top I was scolded by the receptionist. I was told no body touches the meters. The old hag just went on and on. After recovering from mental shock my short bad/nasty temper fuse was lit and my blood presure went up a few notches (I got a very nasty temper and don't take no one's crap when I'm in the right). Needless to say I screamed at the old hag and got the attention of the entire office. They appologized, took the meter w/o any further problems and held the door open for me as I left. JCP&L (First Energy , Parsippany/Boonton field office)

John
New Jersey

 

[bthielen]

Re: Electric Meter Seals-You may want to read this if you wa

I have found that communication works very well. Even though I am only the homeowner and not a licensed electrician, I find that the PoCo is very cooperative with me. I installed a dual-fuel electric heating system in my home (all baseboards) and have occasionally needed to access the control enclosure to add another circuit. I just cut the lock, do my work, and then call the power company to let them know what I did. They send me a new seal in the mail and I install it. No problem.

I think if I were to cut the seal and not tell them, serious issues would be raised if they happened to find out themselves.

Bob