Electrical Meters

[dmanda24]

1) Does the local power company have to come out to remove a residential meter so that electrical work can be done at the house?
2) Is it ilegal for the electrician to breake the power companies seal in order to remove the meter?
3) Most electric meter just pull out of their socket, what other mechanisms to remove the meter exist? for example one where a special key or tool is needed.

Thanks in advance

 

[stickboy1375]

You would clearly have to ask your local POCO for proper protocol on this... I'm sure every POCO is different... If I break a seal then I need to have it resealed, they like to be notified before hand, and i'm not sure of the consequence for tampering with a meter...

 

[brantmacga]

yes you need to call them. some rea's don't really care as long as you let them know, some utilities will try and send you to jail. no special tools needed. but some have bypass jaws that will lock down on the meter.

 

[dmanda24]

how do you get the jaws to release the meter

 

[mdshunk]

how do you get the jaws to release the meter

For most meters, just pull the meter out. It just plugs in and out. For the lever type, push or pull the lever... whichever way it seems that model goes. It's often red in color.

 

[dmanda24]

Is just that I was trying to pull out a meter, no lever, it looked just like the ones you pull out, but it was stuck in there, and I was wondering if it was just hard cuz of the oxidation or if there was a mechanism holding it down, I couldn't see anything so I left it alone so it would not break, and changed the main disconnect live, which was rusted.

 

[480sparky]

Here's what the guts of a bypass lever mechanism looks like:

They usually have a red plastic handle.

 

[LarryFine]

I find that the best way to loosen stubborn meters is to push upward firmly to loosen the lower jaws, and to push downward to loosen the upper jaws. Don't hit the glass.

 

[mdshunk]

Is just that I was trying to pull out a meter, no lever, it looked just like the ones you pull out, but it was stuck in there,...

Yeah, they get like that. Just wiggle it 'up' and 'down' and it will break free. Quite often, you'll find some of the old black Penetrox over the years has melted from where the old conductors are terminated and drizzled down over the meter tabs. This really can "glue" then in there. Just don't bang too hard on the thing with your bare hands, lest you be the next guy at the ER getting his hand stitched up.

 

[stickboy1375]

Just be careful if the jaw is broken, you will be in for a surprise...

 

[knothole]

yes, some utilities will try and send you to jail.

That's ours.

 

[robbietan]

1) Does the local power company have to come out to remove a residential meter so that electrical work can be done at the house?
2) Is it ilegal for the electrician to breake the power companies seal in order to remove the meter?
3) Most electric meter just pull out of their socket, what other mechanisms to remove the meter exist? for example one where a special key or tool is needed.

Thanks in advance

1) not unless you can do the electrical work when you shut off the main breaker. if you really need to remove the meter to have your electrical work down - go to number 2

2) yes, it is illegal to remove even the meter seal - our poco can charge you with 'tampering'. the seals have serial numbers which are tied to an address or customer. even if somehow you have moved the electric meter to another location without breaking the seal or anything else, our poco can still charge you with tampering. they dont like it when you remove the meter from its present location without informing them first.

3) we even have 'socket' type meters, where by turning the meter in its socket will interrupt the electric service. however, you need to remove the seal before you can turn the meter.

 

[stickboy1375]

1)
2) yes, it is illegal to remove even the meter seal - our poco can charge you with 'tampering'. the seals have serial numbers which are tied to an address or customer. even if somehow you have moved the electric meter to another location without breaking the seal or anything else, our poco can still charge you with tampering. they dont like it when you remove the meter from its present location without informing them first.

I had to laugh at this one, because around here they never update them when they are replaced...

 

[Cavie]

I had to laugh at this one, because around here they never update them when they are replaced...

I also had to laugh. I often go out to Service Change Inspection and find the Meter in place and resealed. Some of the FPL guys don't care who pulls it or if it gets inspected. Especially on Friday pm. Ask thier supervisor about it and they will tell you the NEVER replace a meter without an inspection. Yea, Right.

 

[boboelectric]

Around W.Pa.Power company employees Are getting cut ,So they will turn in offenders.

 

[jaylectricity]

I had to laugh at this one, because around here they never update them when they are replaced...

And even if the guy in the field notices the numbers are wrong, there are just too many workers out there to blame it on the customer. Especially in a decent sized apartment building.

All it takes is one POCO guy trying to get done with his work faster before the weekend forgetting to write the new number down.

 

[lpelectric]

There's a $10,000.00 incentive in place around here to leave the meter seal in place. I know of a guy who was actually fined that amount as a repeat offender. He fought hard all the way to the end, and paid his attorney at the close to stay out of jail. The real interesting point was the poco's concern regarding potential theft of services. :smile:

 

[brian john]

I need access to a CT cabinet I open it, after waiting in excess of 3 hours for a power company tech I did what I have too, to do my job.

Utilities are foolish in regards to this if I want to steal power i would not cut the seal I remove a side panel ect......I am not there to steal, I am there to perform a service for my customer, Utilities should not look at us as thieves and adversaries, but as another entity they have to deal with.

I recently had to enter a CT cabinet to verify billing, the end user was receiving electric bills in excess of $20,000.00 a month only problem was they had closed down the business and were not utilizing much power, the end users office had been paying the bill unquestioned for 2 years. The local utility calibrated the meter and sent them a letter your bill is what it is. I found the utility was billing the wrong meter to this user, the other tenant was getting a bill for almost nothing.