electrofelon
Senior Member
- Location
- Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
I understand this is not an NEC issue but I was just wondering what others' experiences are with working with and making connection to a utility's hot service drop/lateral conductors. Where I learned the trade and have done most of my electrical work, it was a no-no to do anything to hot utility feeds - we leave that to them. The reason I ask is I have been helping a friend with a service and the serving utility is one that I have not worked with before. We were re-using the service conductors and raceway on the load side of the meter so this is what i did: Pulled the meter, and pulled out the load side conductors and ran them in to a new meter and riser. Then I ran a temporary piece of cable to connect the load side of the old meter to the conductors out of the weather head of my new riser, installed a meter bypass plate in the new socket and put back the meter. I didnt have to mess with the service drop or anything hot and the new weather head is just a foot from the old weather head so i figure they will just come and swap it over then i can remove the old stuff. Well the utility's inspector came by and I was lost for words when she told me i had to remove the old stuff first and swap the triplex over myself! Is she off her rocker or is this standard in certain areas?!?! Maybe they'll have me seal the meter too!