ECN Forum Forums Photo Discussion Forums Violation Photo Forum Homeowners Surprise? How to Save on Your Electric Bill

hip waders at the least

In Indiana it is a class C felony. Maximum six months jail and $10,000. Property owner is responsible unless they can point the finger at someone else, like a jack leg electrician. Even then they have to make restitution for estimated useage.
The owners is between a rock and a hard place. Best to get it redone right and fast and then negotiate with the POCO.
Alam--

These pics are a good "counter" to some questions raised recently in other threads. Questions like:
- Why bother with permits and inspectins?
- Why have tamper-resistant seals?
- Why can't I get a key for those seals? and,
- Why you should avoid "trunk-slamming side-working" sparkies!

Whether by accident or design, this boot-leg "upgrade" will cause the homeowner more than enough grief to offset any dollars they saved performing it.

I'm just surprised that powere hasn't been cut, and a tamper-resistant ring hasn't been installed already!

our local POCO uses irreversable seals to keep the cover closed. They need to be cut to open. When we cut them, we need to contact the POCO and give them the information, so they can come out and reseal them.

This meter was sealed closed, but the meter-reader that sealed it, also realized something was wrong and called it in.

If the meter is running backwards, and say she used 200 KWh a month, the meter would read to look like she used 10000 KWh - 200 KWh = 9800 KWh from month to month. At 10 cents a KWh, that's an electric bill of $980! The POCO might insist that she pay it.....

If the homeowner did this intentionally, they are morons in two ways.

1) Knowing that it is illegal and doing it anyway. And,

2) Tampering with it in a manner that is SURE to garner the attention of the POCO.

I mean, really, did they think that nobody would notice?

Ed

i honestly don't think that they meant to run the meter backwards, i think whoever did this didn't even realize that could happen.

I do think that they meant to upgrade the service without all the proper permits and inspections. And without paying too much money.

I am not sure how the power company is there but if you cut the seal on the meter here and they can prove it you will be facing 10 years and 25000 dollar fine. The power would be turned off as soon as it was spotted and then things would get ugly.