Services - Where the POCO job ends and the Electrician job begins

[hillbilly1]

Looked at a job Friday, where I installed a new overhead service on an old house last year. The owner wanted the service raised up now to clear the new garage he was adding. Since the service drop was directly over the new garage, raising it was not an option, as the drop would be over 30’ of the new roof! So now I get to move the new service to the other side of the garage, and he decided to splurge for underground this time! LOL!

 

[Sea Nile]

I've never seen a lost neutral happen in that dramatic of a fashion.

Here's an example

Go to time 29:15

 

[Sea Nile]

Actually I wasn't joking. Rubber mat, scotch pad, and tape, 5 minutes done. It will take longer to set up and break down the fiberglass ladder.

Maybe after I get certified. I know my mortality and comfort level. Besides, if it's the POCO's Lane, I will let them do it.

 

[ActionDave]

I have many times, although it’s a crap shoot as to whether the phase wires or neutral wire break apart first and where it comes apart.

How many times have you seen a tree limb come down and take out the neutral wire alone?

 

[Hv&Lv]

How many times have you seen a tree limb come down and take out the neutral wire alone?

Many.
You would be shocked at how many “lost neutral” calls we get after a bad ice or snow storm where there are lots of limbs or trees down.
it’s one of the reasons we try to use tension compression sleeves on the neutral and butt splices on the phase wires. Not all do them that way..
Sometimes it works, sometimes not…

 

[Little Bill]

How many times have you seen a tree limb come down and take out the neutral wire alone?

I've seen it a couple of times.

 

[ActionDave]

Power loss gets the quicker call. Every lost neutral call I've been out on took more than a few hours, days, months, whatever,,, before somebody decided there was a problem.

 

[Hv&Lv]

Power loss gets the quicker call. Every lost neutral call I've been out on took more than a few hours, days, months, whatever,,, before somebody decided there was a problem.

I’ll agree with that.
no power trumps “weird power” any day.
Eventually we get to them though..

edit.
Just fixed one that has been back and forth between the electrician and the poco for OVER A YEAR!
Found the loose N in the customers breaker panel as soon as it was removed, but after the electrician had been there 3-4 times.
I suggested the HO call the electrician and get their money back for all the service calls and shoddy troubleshooting.

 

[Sea Nile]

How many times have you seen a tree limb come down and take out the neutral wire alone?

I would think the neutral wire alone would be the most likely to break. The neutral is under tension and the phase conductors are loosely wrapped around it. If something hits it, then logically the neutral would break first. But I have no real life experience with this.

 

[Hv&Lv]

I would think the neutral wire alone would be the most likely to break. The neutral is under tension and the phase conductors are loosely wrapped around it. If something hits it, then logically the neutral would break first. But I have no real life experience with this.

You would think but practical experience says N breaks are far more UNCOMMON than phase breaks.