Meter ring tool

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In the old days you could cut the meter ring loop and take off the meter ring, then remove the meter to de-energize the panel to work safely. Now they have put a newer type meter ring which takes a special tool that slides into a small round hole roughly 3.74mm diameter and then the tool expands internal to release the locking device. What's the proper name for this tool and where can they be purchased.

Bob
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Bob Anchorite said:
What's the proper name for this tool and where can they be purchased.

Bob that is like asking where you can purchase the keys to the cash register at the store.

The idea is the power company does not want you to remove the meter and you may well be breaking the law if you do.

This is not to say I have not cut more than a few simple seals, however I stop at cutting or otherwise circumventing the stronger locking means.

If it has a 'real' lock I call the power company to have it removed.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Bob (the OP Bob), those locks are usually installed where customers have a habit of not paying on time and/or stealing power. It's important to get into the habit of looking for a lock when scheduling work that involves the meter.
 
Response to I-wire...

Response to I-wire...

Well, I take your point, though Clint always shot off the locks to the treasure chest. Asking for keys would be an imposition. Locking meter rings are a standard here, not the exception.



Bob
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Bob Anchorite said:
Locking meter rings are a standard here, not the exception.Bob

So what is the power companies position?

Did you take a look at the power companies rules for meter removal?

I have to imagine that the expense of using locking rings on each meter is a not so subtle hint that times have changed and they do not want ECs removing meters.

And to answer your original question.

No I don't know the correct name

No I do not know where to get them.

You might try The Meter Guy.
 

jeff43222

Senior Member
I've taken out plenty of meters, and I've never had to call the PoCo to accomplish this. Sometimes it's easy, and sometimes I've had to resort to using power tools. No one from the PoCo has ever given me any grief about my methods.

This new type of locking ring is not one I've seen. If a recip saw doesn't do the trick, I'd break out the rotary hammer. :D
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
jeff43222 said:
I've taken out plenty of meters, and I've never had to call the PoCo to accomplish this. Sometimes it's easy, and sometimes I've had to resort to using power tools. No one from the PoCo has ever given me any grief about my methods.

Jeff I find that to be bad advice, at the least the actual written rules should at least be glanced at.
 

jeff43222

Senior Member
iwire said:
jeff43222 said:
I've taken out plenty of meters, and I've never had to call the PoCo to accomplish this. Sometimes it's easy, and sometimes I've had to resort to using power tools. No one from the PoCo has ever given me any grief about my methods.
Jeff I find that to be bad advice, at the least the actual written rules should at least be glanced at.
I agree with you. Still, I have no idea what the PoCo's rules are regarding this, and the way I've been doing it seems acceptable to them. I do talk to various PoCo people from time to time on the phone, and sometimes I deal with the linemen in person. I've always freely admitted breaking their meters out of sockets, and they've always acted like what I'm doing doesn't bother them at all.

Other PoCos around the country are probably not as laid-back as the one I deal with, so it would probably be a good idea to ask first.
 

bikeindy

Senior Member
Location
Indianapolis IN
I quess if you are planning on changing the meter base your method would be acceptable here. but other wise expect a big fine for tampering. here if I run into a lock on the meter I simply call the PoCo and they are out within 15 minutes. time enough for me to unload my truck and get started with other small things I am doing. It has never taken more than 20 minutes for them to show. reconnects on the other hand you have to give them two hours to commplete but they like the meter turning I have only been packed up once before they came for a reconnect.
 

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
OK think this out ,would the poco want to risk being sued if you got hurt or killed because you worked lived rather than cut the seal ? What law did you break ? You did not steal any power.What you did was disconnect from them to do your job safely.Have never seen them have a problem as long as they were called next buisness day to tell them why.This does not mean power theft is ok only but to hot check or replace a main they never said nothing.Have even cut cut live drops and told where to leave the meter.
 
meter ring continued

meter ring continued

Wow, I did not mean to short out anyone's wire here. I have never been able to get the power company out anywhere on short notice here... it takes days, you have to make the appointment, the whole bit. Sometimes you want to work safe. I take I-wire's warning on not breaking the law, that was not my intent anyway.

Bob
 

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
I ran a call where a tree had managed to break the neutral and already done thousands in damage.They did not treat this as a 911.Ever see it again i will do more tham kill mains,i will pull meter.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Jim I always like that you shoot from the hip without looking anything up. :D

Jim W in Tampa said:
What law did you break ? You did not steal any power.


From the first page of the Florida Light & Power Green Book.


JUST A REMINDER!​
FLORIDA STATUTE 812.14 STATES "IT IS UNLAWFUL TO WILLFULLY ALTER, TAMPER WITH, INJURE, OR KNOWINGLY SUFFER TO BE INJURED ANY METER, METER SEAL, PIPE CONDUIT, WIRE, LINE, CABLE, TRANSFORMER... OR TO ALTER THE INDEX OR BREAK THE SEAL OF ANY METER..."​

There is an exception for an emergency and you still have to have permission and you have to cut the drop first, oh and it only applies to overhead service.....but hey you can read it yourself.

Section III-1 of FLPs rules


Exception:​
FPL normally performs both the disconnect and reconnect. In certain cases however, the
Customer's​
licensed and qualified electrical contractor is allowed, at his option, but only
when approved by FPL
, to perform the disconnect on overhead services only, when the
following criteria are met:


- The Customer​
shall be a residential or small commercial facility with a main line switch rating
of 300 Amps or less, served by an FPL single phase overhead service.
No three phase
service shall be disconnected by an electrical contractor
. FPL must disconnect all three
phase services to ensure that proper phase rotation is maintained.
- FPL service attachment point at the building or structure
shall remain intact. No service shall
be removed from the attachment point or the attachment point altered in any way.
- The meter socket(s)
must not have an FPL locking device installed.
- If multiple meters are involved, the electrician
shall "mark" each meter and socket.
-
Only a licensed and qualified electrical contractor may perform the disconnect function
and he
shall schedule a reconnect date (appointment) with FPL before disconnecting the
service. If the appointment is not made before the disconnect, FPL will not be responsible for
a same day reconnect.
- The service
shall be cut on the load side of FPL's connection to the customer's service
conductors.
No FPL conductors are to be cut.
- The service
shall be disconnected before removing the meter(s). No meter is to be
removed from an energized meter socket
.
- FPL personnel only are to perform the reconnect and only after an inspection (if required by
the local authority) is received.
Electrical contractors are not allowed to reconnect the
service.

- The decision to perform this type of disconnect is entirely voluntary for the electrical
contractor and allows work to commence without having to wait for FPL to disconnect the
service. However, the electrical contractor still has the option of FPL performing the
disconnect if he prefers.​
 

amptech

Senior Member
Location
Indiana
If you would like a tamper tool of your own to remove these ring locks, I would suggest you ask the PoCo for one. That's where I got mine. That way they know you have one. My situation may be a little different from most. I am listed as a contractor/vendor with both of the electric utilities in my area and they have a copy of my license and insurance certificate. I do contract work for them on the customer side of a service when they convert OH to UG and when they need help after storms. Good working relationships with PoCos are like gold.
 

Minuteman

Senior Member
I haven't used my tamper tool much. Most of the time I call POCO for a disconnect, as I don't want any problems. I have used it for OH meter base change outs, which we are aloud to cut the connection at the "Point of Attachment" - change out - reconnect - call for inspection. Never has been an issue.
 

jeff43222

Senior Member
Jim W in Tampa said:
OK think this out ,would the poco want to risk being sued if you got hurt or killed because you worked lived rather than cut the seal ?

PoCo here recently told me I was welcome to move an underground service while it was hot. I told them there was no way I would consider doing that.

I often cut and tap live overhead drops, and I generally don't deal with the PoCo when I do these kinds of jobs. In some cases, depending on jurisdiction, I have to sign an affidavit and send it to the PoCo to get them to come out and replace my temp clamps with permanent ones.
 
Last edited:
Lockbands are the norm here too.
The keys are Impossible to come by.
EC's & now HO's can call for a lockband removal & have it done in 2-4 hours on a good day. I just have to plan for it.
The other day I had a tree take out the overhead goose neck & had to replace it with a mast. the drop also had a burned neutral. I forgot to have the lockband removed so I just left the meter in the old socket on the ground for the POCO on the reconnect, and that took over 24 hours. So my customer was without power overnight.
Hey don't pay our bill & they'll be there right away. Ask for service & you can wait!

But I too would pay a few hundred for a key.
 

jeff43222

Senior Member
77401 said:
Lockbands are the norm here too.
The keys are Impossible to come by.
EC's & now HO's can call for a lockband removal & have it done in 2-4 hours on a good day. I just have to plan for it.
The other day I had a tree take out the overhead goose neck & had to replace it with a mast. the drop also had a burned neutral. I forgot to have the lockband removed so I just left the meter in the old socket on the ground for the POCO on the reconnect, and that took over 24 hours. So my customer was without power overnight.
Hey don't pay our bill & they'll be there right away. Ask for service & you can wait!

But I too would pay a few hundred for a key.

A set of fresh blades for the Sawzall would be a lot cheaper. :D
 
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