Friday's STV.... a --real-- shocker!

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480sparky

480sparky

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Location
Iowegia
Yet another panel swap today.

First thing I see:

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OK, easy fix.... I can replace it when I'm done.

So I pull the meter and get to work.

I pull the cover off and see this:

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I start taking wires off breakers and WHAM! I get hammered. Service conductors are removed from main breaker, and the meter has been pulled.

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The large wires that look like copper are aluminum with brown de-ox on them.

So I tape it up, and keep going. I get to the neutrals and WHAM! I get hammered AGAIN!

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Yippee!
 
STV, Part Deux

STV, Part Deux

So my buddy is running some 10/3 for a new dryer, and he spots these little gems above the grid:

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Sigh.........
 
STV, Part Tre.

STV, Part Tre.

So we also need to locate a short in a circuit.

Trace it to some conduit outside. NM inside.

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Thank God It's Friday.:cool:
 
Didn't I just read a statement from you; "non-contact voltage testers are useless"? Whats that in your hand?
 
chris kennedy said:
Didn't I just read a statement from you; "non-contact voltage testers are useless"? Whats that in your hand?
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Yea, well, trust me.... it was live. Actually, they were. I just had the camera and the NCT handy. I didn't want to take the time to go get my meter out of the van.
 
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480sparky said:
I didn't want to take the time to go get my meter out of the van.
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Well, I wouldn't start that type of work without a tester within arms reach. Glad your OK pal. Is this where we start guessing why you were energized with the meter pulled?:grin:
 
chris kennedy said:
Well, I wouldn't start that type of work without a tester within arms reach. Glad your OK pal. Is this where we start guessing why you were energized with the meter pulled?:grin:
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Well, when you pull the meter and go back in to find all the lights, fridge, stove, etc. not working, you kinda get the idea the panel is dead.

So yea, any ideas why I had two hot wires with the meter pulled?
 
TOOL_5150 said:
Doesnt make sence... does the meter have a bypass? Do they have solar? Do they have a generator? Do they have a UPS hooked up the wrong way? Were they stealing power from another source?

~Matt
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Well, the best hint I can give you is this is in a duplex......... :roll:
 
celtic said:
I think we have a winner....:)
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The only thing I can think of, since there's no house panel, is that a circuit was fed from both panels to power the exterior lights.

But the noodle must be in this panel only, or else it wouldn't show hot or spark when I terminated it.
 
TOOL_5150 said:
So, What are you goign to do with that circuit? Hook it back up? Leave it? Fix it?

~Matt
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I landed the neutral on the assumption it's for something as it is drawing power.. it arced when I did so. I left the hot undone.

I need to contact the landlord to discuss the other issues we've found.
 
I've got a good one on Tuesday to repair. It's a service built on a stanchion for a farm, I'll have to remember to take before/after pics.:)
 
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