Red leg Questions

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Here is an example of what is commonly called a Wiggy and is what I carried in my younger days. It's a simple solenoid tester

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Roger
 
iwire said:
About 35 years into this trade and I would be surprised if I ran into one of these high leg systems more than once. Just not popular around here, I don't think they are even offered for services by the utilities.
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You don't see that many high leg systems around here in this area (locally) but if you travel just a short distance to some of the old industrial areas they are still out there and an electrician needs to be careful.

A few years ago I knew of an electrician that burned up a few computers by hooking a circuit to a high leg. My guess is that he hadn't worked in that area before and wasn't even thinking about it. They said the guy just walked off the job and a friend of mine was called to correct the problem. It's kind of funny if you are not the guy that did it.

I found a high leg system in a restaurant in the older part of Atlanta, no telling what that building was originally used for but I doubt it was a restaurant.
 
iwire said:
About 35 years into this trade and I would be surprised if I ran into one of these high leg systems more than once. Just not popular around here, I don't think they are even offered for services by the utilities.
Click to expand...
Pretty common here.

I'll never forget the first time I came across one, my journey man says, "Check that with your meter."

240, 240, 240, 120, 120, 208??????? What the.....? He let me stew on it for a good while. I'm glad I'm not one of those guys that learned about the high leg by hooking something up to it by accident.
 
ActionDave said:
Pretty common here.

I'll never forget the first time I came across one, my journey man says, "Check that with your meter."

240, 240, 240, 120, 120, 208??????? What the.....? He let me stew on it for a good while. I'm glad I'm not one of those guys that learned about the high leg by hooking something up to it by accident.
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Just another experience you have missed. You can never run fast enough once you realize what happened.
 
ptonsparky said:
Just another experience you have missed. You can never run fast enough once you realize what happened.
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I spent many years in area where high leg services were extremely common. If fact, more the norm than the exception for small/light commercial services. As such, most, even green, journeyman were somewhat familiar. But our guy did not get or forgot the memo. So we send this young journeyman out to a site to add some branch circuits for, of all things.....some tanning beds! Well, as you may guess there was a lot of the magic smoke released and could not be put back. Expensive mistake but a lesson he never forgot. Turned out to be a great electrician though.
 
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