Topic for comment: Storm takes down drop and SE cable...

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newservice

Senior Member
Hypothetical question only: So the tree falls and takes out the service entrance cable and drop over the driveway to the pole. Customer calls POCO @ 4am, they come and disconnect back to the road.. Next calls electrician (he-hem) and tree company, help, no power. Tree co removes tree. Electrician looks and says, though your stuff is older, the meters are still outside and serviceable, and the dual fused panel service was apparently working fine before the interruption.
Electrician proposes to change out the damaged SE cable and weather head and POA. Inspector shows up, demands to check the panel in the basement, goes through it with a tooth comb, finding several usual sub standard items. Inspector then tells electrician he must fix it. Electrician and customer already contracted to do the job for a certain price. Thoughts?
 

jeremysterling

Senior Member
Location
Austin, TX
My experience started just like your scenario (mine in bold):

So the tree falls and takes out the service entrance cable and drop over the driveway to the pole. Customer calls POCO @ 1pm , they come and disconnect back to the road.. Next calls electrician (he-hem) and tree company, help, no power. Tree co removes tree. Electrician looks and says, though your stuff is older, the meters are still outside and serviceable, and the ... service panel was apparently working fine before the interruption.
Electrician proposes to change out the damaged riser and weather head and POA.

I did replace the wrecked 1-1/4 EMT riser with 2" RMC through soffit with roof jack. I also installed new conductors all while it was still storming. I never stepped foot into the house.

The POCO arrived. The lineman and his helper stepped off the truck and walked up to me in the blinding downpour. I asked the lineman if he was going to wait for inspector. I will never forget his reply.

He looked up and down my new riser and said, "What you and me do in the pouring down rain is none of the inspector's business."
 

goldstar

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Had a situation like that several years ago. POCO lineman told me to meter out the MBP before they reconnected and I inadvertently forgot to do that when I reattached the SE cable to the house. Several hrs. Later I get a phone call from the HO telling me that I almost blew the lineman out of the bucket truck. Seems that when the triplex came down and pulled the SE cable off the house it also caused an arc in the MBP and short circuited a 2-P breaker. I'm thankful that the lineman did not get injured because of my mistake and since that incident I've certainly learned an important lesson.

BTW, I ended up replacing the service several days later.
 

JFletcher

Senior Member
Location
Williamsburg, VA
Had a situation like that several years ago. POCO lineman told me to meter out the MBP before they reconnected and I inadvertently forgot to do that when I reattached the SE cable to the house. Several hrs. Later I get a phone call from the HO telling me that I almost blew the lineman out of the bucket truck. Seems that when the triplex came down and pulled the SE cable off the house it also caused an arc in the MBP and short circuited a 2-P breaker. I'm thankful that the lineman did not get injured because of my mistake and since that incident I've certainly learned an important lesson.

BTW, I ended up replacing the service several days later.

The POCO here does their own checking. Last year we installed a new meter, panel and SE cable. All checked good. POCO gets there and find a fault, doesnt hook up the service. Siding guys drove a nail thru the SE cable in the one tiny spot it wasnt protected by a steel plate. I learned that day that 99.44% is good enough for soap, not for cable protection.
 

newservice

Senior Member
Had a situation like that several years ago. POCO lineman told me to meter out the MBP before they reconnected and I inadvertently forgot to do that when I reattached the SE cable to the house. Several hrs. Later I get a phone call from the HO telling me that I almost blew the lineman out of the bucket truck. Seems that when the triplex came down and pulled the SE cable off the house it also caused an arc in the MBP and short circuited a 2-P breaker. I'm thankful that the lineman did not get injured because of my mistake and since that incident I've certainly learned an important lesson.

BTW, I ended up replacing the service several days later.

POCO always checks what they are hooking up to with a multi meter. If anything other than a wide open circuit they wont hook to it, ie the disconnect has to be off or fuse block pulled. After they done you go and turn it on on the inside.
 
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