low amperage at panel

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motobeart50

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Hello
I was supplying some temp power to a contractor
at a residential remodel.
I connected a quad outlet box to a breaker in the service panel.
Regardless of the type of load we tried, i.e. lighting, compressors etch.
the circuit would only supply 1.5 amps.
I disconnected all other branch circuit loads.
I tried a different breaker, I tried a different breaker backfeeding the busing.
Can PG&E limit current at the panel through the Smart Meter?
The voltages are 122 on both phases and all the conductor connections are secure.
Thanks
Barry
 
The typical smart meter contains a contactor that can open and close the circuit, but nothing that could limit current.
Are you seeing a trip with auto reset or just excessive voltage drop? I would look for a bad connection in the temp wiring, either hot or neutral. Or maybe an open neutral with the current being limited by ground electrode resistance.
As a wild idea, the Smart Meter might be programmable to allow some power to flow through a meter with no valid billing account but open the contactor for a programmed period if the load goes above a threshold.
 
no trips, no voltage drop

no trips, no voltage drop

The breakers aren't tripping and the voltage remains at 120.
The current draw remains constant.
The account is likely inactive.
I was tempted to jump the meter socket, but decided the risk wasn't worth it.
I was using all new romex to feed he outlet, so I know it's not the wiring.
Barry
 
motobeart50 said:
The breakers aren't tripping and the voltage remains at 120.
The current draw remains constant.
The account is likely inactive.
I was tempted to jump the meter socket, but decided the risk wasn't worth it.
I was using all new romex to feed he outlet, so I know it's not the wiring.
Barry
Click to expand...

Your description of the voltage staying at 120V and the current maxing out at 1.3A despite increasing load is not consistent, unless you are measuring voltage to ground and not neutral.
Do you have any 220V loads to test with? Or try putting matched 120V loads on both sides if you have wired L1 and L2 to the quad box.
 
motobeart50 said:
Hello
I was supplying some temp power to a contractor
at a residential remodel.
I connected a quad outlet box to a breaker in the service panel.
Regardless of the type of load we tried, i.e. lighting, compressors etch.
the circuit would only supply 1.5 amps.
I disconnected all other branch circuit loads.
I tried a different breaker, I tried a different breaker backfeeding the busing.
Can PG&E limit current at the panel through the Smart Meter?
The voltages are 122 on both phases and all the conductor connections are secure.
Thanks
Barry
Click to expand...

What do you mean when you say the circuit would only supply 1.5 amps. Circuits don't supply amps, the protective devices limit the amount of current that can safely be drawn from the circuit.

Are you saying that regardless of what is plugged into the outlet, the circuit is only drawing 1.5 amps? Or the breaker is tripping at 1.5 amps?
 
I agree with Golddigger....

Why not turn off the breaker and read resistance L/L and L/N on the load side of the breaker. If it's around 100 ohms L/N or 50 ohms L/L and doesn't change, you have a load problem. Ohm's Law. Bad idea to jumper the meter. Unprotected transformer secondary fault current can get ugly, plus it's illegal. POCO might be unhappy.:rant:
 
motobeart50 said:
Hello
I was supplying some temp power to a contractor
at a residential remodel.
I connected a quad outlet box to a breaker in the service panel.
Regardless of the type of load we tried, i.e. lighting, compressors etch.
the circuit would only supply 1.5 amps.
Click to expand...

motobeart50 said:
The account is likely inactive.
Click to expand...


I would think the accout is inactive. There may be a meter and a seal but that doesn't mean the account is active.

Call the power company. They will tell you.

You may need to get a temp. power permit to get power turned on.
 
There are a few different options available on Smart Meters, but with the standard meter, a disconnected, inactive service is usually "booted off" with insulating sleeves placed over the bottom jaws. The meter still shows voltage but no voltage exists on the lower load side of the socket. If you are reading 120/240 volts on the load side and it's not a meter containing a disconnect relay, you likely have a connection problem. I can't ever recall hearing about any meter that can limit current. Most just trip a relay if the load exceeds the limit. Maybe something new, but if it is, let us know, 'cause it's a mystery to me how it could work.
 
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