Service Change

[TOOL_5150]

Why do I never hear anything good about PG&E on this forum? Are they really that bad?

I dont really care about them either good nor bad... They tell me to just go ahead.. thats less crud I have to do before starting work. I just climb up, cut the drop, tape it and get the job done. When its all ready, I meg the new service feeders and then mechanical splice and tape. I work mostly on OH services so it works for me.

~Matt

 

[steelersman]

around here everyone sets the new service next to the old one, and uses the old can as a JB to splice the existing circuits. Most of the houses are stucco and have recessed 50a services from the 1950s. Makes it easy as you do the new work, get it inspected, call poco to come out and they replace the drop, then you make up the splices for the existing circuits. Only without power for an hour or two.

For the second time.............this works great for an overhead drop.........but doesn't quite work so well on an underground riser conduit such as the OP's case.

 

[ike5547]

Why do I never hear anything good about PG&E on this forum? Are they really that bad?

In over 20 years doing electrical in CA I have never met anyone that does it differently than Tool 5150 does it. Nor have I, or anyone that I know of, ever been hurt doing it.

 

[satcom]

In over 20 years doing electrical in CA I have never met anyone that does it differently than Tool 5150 does it. Nor have I, or anyone that I know of, ever been hurt doing it.

I think we were discussing UG services not overhead and there are plenty of injuries, on record you can check with your state labor department, most states track this data, I can assure you, our insurance underwriters do, guys that are careless increase the rates for everyone.

 

[ike5547]

I think we were discussing UG services not overhead and there are plenty of injuries, on record you can check with your state labor department, most states track this data, I can assure you, our insurance underwriters do, guys that are careless increase the rates for everyone.

Here in San Francisco, for an underground residential service, there is usually a sidewalk pull box just a few feet away. You can just pop the lid and disconnect it there.

 

[electricguy61]

Strange the different policies from one POCO to another. I live in an area shared by Edison and PG&E.

Edison will let you cut the overhead lines, the lock on the seal on the meter. If it has a lock they will unlock it - you pull th meter.

PG&E is the wors POCO in the nation. If you pull the meter in an emergency / That is meter tampering and they can dink your license and you will get a fine. If you cut the overhead lines / That is power tampering and a you well get a fine. If you jump the meter clips (like I have done dozens of times with every other POCO / That is power theft an that is a felony and they can have you arrested.

Terry

I've been asking PG&E for years to set up a system for legally and safely allowing electrical contractors to change out services, but to no avail. Here's how we used to do it:

For overhead, we would kill all breakers, check the meter for movement, tie off the overhead wire with rope and a couple of half-hitches, cut the service drop and tape it off.

Install the new service, re-connect the OH wires, and call for inspection.
Inspector would fax in the re-connect to PG&E, and they would come out at their leisure to re-do our connections @ the masthead.

I agree: PG&E is a PITB!

 

[Power Tech]

In over 20 years doing electrical in CA I have never met anyone that does it differently than Tool 5150 does it. Nor have I, or anyone that I know of, ever been hurt doing it.

If you ever do work in N Cal beware PG&E are power Nazi's. They will prosicute you for pulling the meter? Cutting the lines?

Stay safe
Terry

 

[ike5547]

They will prosicute you for pulling the meter? Cutting the lines?

Not around here. San Francisco and Peninsula. Just make sure you cut the customer side (after the PG&E connection). Also, I never hesitate to pull the meter when necessary.

 

[ike5547]

PG&E asks that you deliver them the old meter so they can take a final reading and jot down the number so they can retire it, but sometimes it ends up getting trashed by someone or walking off the job.

 

[electricguy61]

Not around here. San Francisco and Peninsula. Just make sure you cut the customer side (after the PG&E connection). Also, I never hesitate to pull the meter when necessary.

I had a customer fined $500 for my pulling / re-installing the meter on a service ripped off a house in the Santa Cruz mountains (Boulder Creek to be exact). I had pulled a permit, had the inspection and called PG&E.

I ended up splitting the fine with the customer.

 

[lbwireman]

In my area, PG&E guys have told me on more than 1 occasion to "not bother them for a disconnect / reconnect for an OH upgrade, Just cut it, replace it and temp it back up, then call the office to have new seals installed After a final inspection"

~Matt

That's the way they do it here on SCE country, too. We call Edison Planning for a meter spot, they send out a planner who either approves the requested location (usually same location) or calls us if there's a problem and we discuss how to resolve it. I've worked all up and down the left coast and AZ and these guys are the best. cooperation ++. We cut the service drop and secure the cut ends. When we're done, we do a temporary "cut over" (reconnect the service drop to the svc entry conductors) and call for inspection. After the installation is approved, Bldg & Planning faxes the OK to Edison who sends out a crew to make the permanent connection. Haven't done an underground in this area so far (10 yrs and counting) but some of the municipalities around here are starting to require us to install panels listed for O/H and U/G, so I'm guessin' this'll start being an issue for us some time in the not too distant future.