Tiny voltage on power off at the pole--Why?

[GeorgeB]

I wonder what the two additional knockouts that were knocked out were all about

mouse access

 

[ptonsparky]

Sparrow access

 

[Joethemechanic]

I was thinking shadow people



They get in your electrical system and peer out the slots in the receptacles

 

[ptonsparky]

I was thinking shadow people

View attachment 2566888

They get in your electrical system and peer out the slots in the receptacles

They ain't gonna like what they see at my house.

 

[GoldDigger]

I wonder what the two additional knockouts that were knocked out were all about

To let the mice in. And provide air flow to dry their bodies.

 

[ericsarratt]

There is no additional conductors tapped to any the grounded conductors. Only conductors that are questionable are tied to the grounded conductor - and likely are GEC's or other bonding conductors.

Yes, the white wire coming out behind the lower neutral is connected to the wire for the grounding rod. The copper grounding wire goes into some old 50's/60's (?) MC (?). You can see the grounding wire's MC in the lower pic.

 

[ericsarratt]

Some POCO's may have rules on landing those in a meter socket, NEC is silent about this. That said the one doubled up in the line side grounded lug is an issue with how it is done but not necessarily a problem just because it is in the meter socket.

You bring up an interesting point. The meter was re-installed in the meter box in 2016 by the POCO. It looked exactly like it does in these pics. I'm surprised they didn't say anything.

I have the POCO's most recent meter installation guide for contractors. I suspect the meter installer just didn't want to mess with it and let it go when he re-installed the meter.

The electrical was used like this for about two years.

There is arcing in one of the bedroom outlets. I have found multiple ground wires which are disconnected.

Like I said, before I started working I had the two hot legs cut off at the pole then checked everything with three multi-meters and my lineman's gloves. The electric is off.

Anyone notice the nut?

 

[ericsarratt]

I wonder what the two additional knockouts that were knocked out were all about

Got me. Left them open for bootlegged electric wires? The owner who probably did the meter work has an interesting criminal history. I have had a neighboor a 1/4 mile away commented about the nature of the former homeowner. Everyone is glad he moved out.

 

[Little Bill]

You bring up an interesting point. The meter was re-installed in the meter box in 2016 by the POCO. It looked exactly like it does in these pics. I'm surprised they didn't say anything.

I have the POCO's most recent meter installation guide for contractors. I suspect the meter installer just didn't want to mess with it and let it go when he re-installed the meter.

The electrical was used like this for about two years.

There is arcing in one of the bedroom outlets. I have found multiple ground wires which are disconnected.

Like I said, before I started working I had the two hot legs cut off at the pole then checked everything with three multi-meters and my lineman's gloves. The electric is off.

Anyone notice the nut?

Yes, one or twice!

 

[ericsarratt]

I was thinking shadow people

View attachment 2566888

They get in your electrical system and peer out the slots in the receptacles

That would be the ones some of my client's see. Usually they are in the trees.

 

[ericsarratt]

To let the mice in. And provide air flow to dry their bodies.

No. They live in the house.

 

[Joethemechanic]

That would be the ones some of my client's see. Usually they are in the trees.

Those must be the rural shadow people. The kensington section of Philly is infested with the urban shadow people. All you can do is cover all the receptacles with duct tape

 

[ericsarratt]

Here is the box as it looks today. More work to do before I have the meter installed though.

Because I know you're gonna ask, the black pipe is hiding a new copper grounding rod. I got tired trying to hammer in the rod in so I quit for the day. Instead of leaving nice, pretty copper sticking up for all to see I placed a piece of plumbing pipe over it--out of sight out of mind. The ones that see the shadow people also tend to like copper.

The cut yellow romex is getting replaced with MC.

 

[letgomywago]

Here is the box as it looks today. More work to do before I have the meter installed though.

Because I know you're gonna ask, the black pipe is hiding a new copper grounding rod. I got tired trying to hammer in the rod in so I quit for the day. Instead of leaving nice, pretty copper sticking up for all to see I placed a piece of plumbing pipe over it--out of sight out of mind. The ones that see the shadow people also tend to like copper.

The cut yellow romex is getting replaced with MC.

View attachment 2566892

I know the brick limits you but that T condulet isn't to nice to the 4/0 bending space. Does it have 2/0 copper in it now?

 

[Sea Nile]

The cut yellow romex is getting replaced with MC

That's a lot of 12 wire, what's that like 10 circuits worth?

Why would it be coming out of the block like that? Where did it connect to before it was cut off?

 

[ericsarratt]

I know the brick limits you but that T condulet isn't to nice to the 4/0 bending space. Does it have 2/0 copper in it now?

It's not real brick. It is asphaltic asbestos siding (so I have been told). Underneath that it is wood shiplap.

No. It had 4/0 aluminum which I removed. There is no wire in the conduit currently. I am planning to use 3/0 copper SEU. The conduit I installed is 2".

 

[ericsarratt]

That's a lot of 12 wire, what's that like 10 circuits worth?
View attachment 2566895
Why would it be coming out of the block like that? Where did it connect to before it was cut off?

Probably. I never counted.

The yellow romex was never in conduit. It tied directly into the lower left side of the circuit breaker box. The wire is running through a concrete block that is on its side. The yellow wire runs through the concrete block and into the crawlspace and into the walls and attic.

Look just to the right of the yellow wire, above the crawlspace door. See that darkened vertical rectangular area.

The circuit breaker box was there. I cut the wires and moved the box over to the right to make the conduit run simpler.

I am going to drill through the mud sill and/or the block below the circuit breaker box and install conduit to protect new runs of wire.

 

[letgomywago]

It's not real brick. It is asphaltic asbestos siding (so I have been told). Underneath that it is wood shiplap.

No. It had 4/0 aluminum which I removed. There is no wire in the conduit currently. I am planning to use 3/0 copper SEU. The conduit I installed is 2".

So you're supposed to maintain 5X beding radius and idk if you'll be able to do that on the left conduit body. It might fit if you use a mallet but won't be something you can pull through

 

[ericsarratt]

So you're supposed to maintain 5X beding radius and idk if you'll be able to do that on the left conduit body. It might fit if you use a mallet but won't be something you can pull through

Thank you! Time to get out the NEC, which I just purchased, and read about bending radius.

Nothing has been glued up yet. I'm going to leave the meter box alone, but everything else can be moved as needed.

I can also drop the circuit breaker box down and run straight out of the meter into the horizontal conduit.

 

[letgomywago]

Thank you! Time to get out the NEC, which I just purchased, and read about bending radius.

Nothing has been glued up yet. I'm going to leave the meter box alone, but everything else can be moved as needed.

I can also drop the circuit breaker box down and run straight out of the meter into the horizontal conduit.

If you got a heat gun just bend a little offset. It'll make your life way easier and save you the pain of squeezing the SEU into that little t body