Hooking up service drop hot for Temp power

[brother]

I know about the NFPA 70e and things, but here recently they just had a 1 man electrical shop that hook up the service drop hot to a house that had lost power until the 'official' inspection was completed.

He had to replace the service entrance conductors because they were damaged. Im just curious, do any of you still hook up a service hot, and does your area allow for the temporary power until after the inspection so the POCO can do the permanent connection??

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

We often do more than we should. Was there any reason to think it not safe. I for one will do what i can to restore power for a family. What is it that makes you feel safer about an inspector seeing the job ? If you did the job i would hope your not counting on him to say it is to code. You either were qualified or not to do the job.

 

[la2151]

hook up svc

hook up svc

HI.. We used to be able to do temp hook ups in Idaho but now in sunny CA.. the poco will come almost any time of day or nite & they get really upset if we do our own connections. they usually take the meter with them when they do temp unhooks.I had a PG&E show up on a job at 9:30 at nite to reconnect.

 

[brother]

We often do more than we should. Was there any reason to think it not safe. I for one will do what i can to restore power for a family. What is it that makes you feel safer about an inspector seeing the job ? If you did the job i would hope your not counting on him to say it is to code. You either were qualified or not to do the job.

I think you misunderstood my post. Its just a 'requirment' for an inspector to inspect before a permanent connection here. and I did NOT do the job, it was another guy. I was only wondering what other areas practice was, seeing how NFPA 70e is being promoted alot.

 

[hambone1216]

In western New York the utilities decide whether or not you are able to reconnect to a service lateral. Two out of three utilities allow licensed electricians to do "live" tie ins. but all of them want you to make any disconnections or reconnections after their crimps (splices), or what they consider the customers portion of the lateral.

 

[hurk27]

Here in Indiana, we now get service sign off, and get power at the start of the building, so we don't see temps installed very much any more, but back when temps were used, we temped the house off it, for final. almost all our new services are underground, but if over head new construction, only the POCO is allowed up their pole, and in most cases, there is no transformer to tap to?, so are you talking about installing your own temp drop to do this? that would be way out of line here. If you are caught on a utility pole here, you will be cited for trespass.

Now as far as service repair from storm damage, no permit no inspection, and yes we many times reconnect hot, if fire department was called, and there is fire damage, then permit and inspection is required before any reconnect. service upgrades, we disconnect and reconnect, POCO comes out and does a permanent connection, after inspection, and tags in the meter, they also gives us tags for storm damage repairs.

 

[mjf]

Local POCO

Local POCO

A couple of years ago, my local POCO started a disconnect/reconnect program and if you satisy thier requirements (attend a course and carry specific amounts of liability insurance on your company and your work vehicle(s), you are allowed to cut thier taps and reconnect.
If I do an upgrade, (100 to 200 amp service), I file a form, get a phone call from POCO giving me approval, cut taps, do upgrade, reconnect, install jumper, call for an inspection. They like it to be inspected within a day or two. POCO will come and install new meter in a day or two (minimize free electricity).

This ONLY applies to single family residential applications.

On a single family residential, if POCO has to come out to disconnect/ reconnect they started to charge, (not sure how much....think its $200- $300), once this program was in place.

Oh yeah, and you can't move the POA more than a foot or so.

 

[wawireguy]

It's standard practice in Eastern WA, they aren't to bright over here obviously. The owners kid of one company took a ride to the hospital doing a service change/reconnect. Nobody uses proper PPE or safety procedures. As a apprentice I did a service mast change hot off a fiberglass ladder. Used the fiberglass as insulation. Dangerous and in no way safe.

 

[dana1028]

HI.. We used to be able to do temp hook ups in Idaho but now in sunny CA.. the poco will come almost any time of day or nite & they get really upset if we do our own connections. they usually take the meter with them when they do temp unhooks.I had a PG&E show up on a job at 9:30 at nite to reconnect.

I too am in sunny CA; if you call poco to 'unhook' you are no longer hot. That said, if we call PG&E for an unhook you could wait 3+ days for a rehook. So - we install new service hot using Polaris connectors, reinstall the meter if it fits, get the inspector sign-off, then call PG&E. Their lineman see the Polaris connectors and call it good - have never had a complaint.