Sunday Repairs

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frizbeedog

frizbeedog

Senior Member
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Oregon
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Do you save old parts from service changes you have done?

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Today they came in handy. :smile:

The customer was able to send me a photo with his camera phone of the damage to his meter base and I was able to match the part with the ones I have a habit of salvaging from service changes. I called him up after he sent me the photo and told him that today was his lucky day. Good thing too, as this was a flush mount installation and the last me or him wanted to do was tear open his wall on a Sunday afternoon.

When I showed up with the exact part he nearly crapped his pants from happiness. And I was a hero for a day.

Save old parts. You just never know. :grin: :grin: :grin:
 
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mdshunk said:
What brand is that meter pan, consequently?
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Never could dertermine that. Not listed on iside that I could find and the outside cover had much paint. The jaw part number was an exact match. I have some others I could check later. 20 year old house.
 
frizbeedog said:
Never could dertermine that. Not listed on iside that I could find and the outside cover had much paint. The jaw part number was an exact match. I have some others I could check later. 20 year old house.
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The only reason I asked is because many of those meter jaw assemblies (aka "40 block") are interchangable among brands. That looks like an old Arrow meter pan, if you made me guess.

I save junk for emergency repairs, but only cherry stuff. Whether they realize it or not, they pay dear for it too. If I have to put in a replacement jaw assembly, they're paying the price of a new meter can for that part.
 
The other day I did a 200 upgrade to a house. I really got tempted to keep the old Sq-D 100 main from the old can that is obsolete. The kind with a really big handle, line and load lugs. But then I thought about what might happen if I sell it to somebody else, and it fails to do its job when its supposed to. Better to just sell the next guy a whole new meter/main socket also.
 
I do not repair items like that, I install new.

As far as I know the company I work for makes more money when I do more. :smile:
 
emahler said:
out of curiosity...what was your total bill to him?:D
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3.75 hours door to door.

Roughly $450.00 with a permit. Power Co. needed one for emergency reconnect. They had taken the meter cause it was cooked.
 
iwire said:
I do not repair items like that, I install new.
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I'm a little picky when I do fix stuff with salvaged hardware. Usually middle of the night on a Sunday night is a good reason to make me do it. Through the week, they're getting new stuff. At other times, pieces and parts can make a decent enough temporary repair until real repairs can be scheduled and replacement parts secured, as long as the temporary repair can be accomplished with some degree of safety.
 
iwire said:
I do not repair items like that, I install new.

As far as I know the company I work for makes more money when I do more. :smile:
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I would love to as well, but for a Sunday and no power and no well water, they were pleased as punch. And the referals you get from a repair like that will pay off in the long run. Weird as this may sound, If you can save someone some money...
 
mdshunk said:
I save junk for emergency repairs, but only cherry stuff. Whether they realize it or not, they pay dear for it too. If I have to put in a replacement jaw assembly, they're paying the price of a new meter can for that part.
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The part was in great shape and I should charge more for it. After all, where are they gonna find it if not from me. Of couse I cannot warranty the part and the homeowner knows this. He's just happy he didn't have to go for a full blown service change.
 
brian john said:
We always install new...BUT on a Sunday I can be the king of GET THEM back on line till the fisrt of the week.
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He's back on line, and perhaps for another twenty years. :smile:
 
mdshunk said:
as long as the temporary repair can be accomplished with some degree of safety.
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I agree but I did not get the impression this was a temp fix.

frizbeedog said:
I would love to as well, but for a Sunday and no power and no well water, they were pleased as punch. And the referals you get from a repair like that will pay off in the long run. Weird as this may sound, If you can save someone some money...
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Whatever I do we are required by the state to provide a 1 year warranty on, based on that alone I would go with new equipment. As far as the referrals you could still get them regardless of how you make the repair.

You showed up on a Sunday and took care of it. :)
 
frizbeedog said:
3.75 hours door to door.

Roughly $450.00 with a permit. Power Co. needed one for emergency reconnect. They had taken the meter cause it was cooked.
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if it lasts till he sells the house, you gave him one heck of a deal, and short changed yourself a lot...if it goes out in 6 months and he makes you replace it on your dime (or has someone else do it, and tells everyone he knows how bad you are) then you lost even more and he'll feel you overcharged him...

i'm with Brian John...got you running today, we'll be back tomorrow to replace it...
 
iwire said:
Whatever I do we are required by the state to provide a 1 year warranty on, based on that alone I would go with new equipment.
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Interesting. I'll check into that. I'm confident it will make it past one year. :)

Good tip. Thanks.
 
Whatever I do we are required by the state to provide a 1 year warranty on, based on that alone I would go with new equipment. As far as the referrals you could still get them regardless of how you make the repair.

I have not heard of this Iwire interesting
 
In reality used equipment has been around ever since new equipment has been sold. It’s simply part of the process and offers significant benefits in the right situations. Listen to David Rosenfield, President of ROMAC and one of the founders of Professional Electrical Apparatus Recyclers League explain how to take advantage of this opportunity while avoiding the risks.

Listen Now
 
i didn't listen, but there is a difference between certified/tested used equipment and sitting in the shop and lets make it work equipment...

in this particular case, and i am not trying to bag on frisbee by any means, what if the jaw is just a little loose? 6 months from now it burns up again?

if it's a certified/tested piece of used equipment, or new equipment, you can go back to whomever you got it from...they have E&O insurance should it be required....

do you, as an EC carry insurance to cover your behind? will your standard contractors insurance cover it? it might, i don't know for sure, but it's something to keep in mind...

unfortunately, attorneys have changed the EC industry from "make it work safely" to "cover your arse....oh yeah, if you can make it work, that's a bonus"
 
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