ECN Forum Forums Photo Discussion Forums Photos for General Discussion Flying Service Equipment

Add this one to the collection...

I have had to do two "emergency" service changes after the service riser/mast was damaged. In both cases, an impact (truck/ falling tree limb) tore the riser (and meter pan) from the house. The riser broke off the meter pan, cut into the service feed, and there were dramatic scorch marks, charring on the house.
These older services had no ground rods, and 1 1/4" risers. Here, new installs have 2" risers, must go through the eave and have the weatherhead/drip loop above the roof, and, of course, have ground rods.

ah the evil 'siding guy' cometh eh?

the same occured up the street from me, the meter reader has had to read the meter upside down now for 3 years.

legally, nothing can be done

let'em burn i say! the local FF's have never lost a cellarhole that i know of!

Sparky,

Here's that Siding Guy again:





This was like this for many months before the service was redone. I've seen one time where the Meter was upside down and 1/2 full of water. It was turned over all day while the service was changed, but the water didn't come out. We ended up flat-connecting it and told the POCO We couldn't plug the meter back in. Not sure what would have happened, but it didn't seem like a good idea.

Bill

[This message has been edited by Bill Addiss (edited 04-05-2003).]

Heres what I want to know, how the heck do they get the can off the building without removing the meter. Aren't they screwed on through the back of the can?. Just take a big pry bar and yard it off the side of a building?. it might be quite a surprise if the screws holding it fell across a line

The first guy I worked for had a deal with a siding company and we got to go around and "fix" these services, many times if it was in bad shape we would sell the customer a new service.

As far as getting it off the wall, yes they would just pry them off and use tape on the screws to keep them from falling in.

I know I would not have done it many times the old SER would be in terrible shape and I would not flex it at the connector live.

I agree, they simply pry it off the wall. Maybe they are not aware of what can happen with those screws. Sometimes they will 'attempt' to reattach the service to the house themselves (by the conduit and cable) and use makeshift straps they've fashioned from vinyl scraps. The result of their handywork can often be seen some time later with a water damaged basement panel.

Bill

I remember the view while riding the elevated train ("The El") in Philadelphia. Between Kensington and Spring Garden, I saw lots of service entrance cables attached via yellow rope. They had been like that for years. Not quite sure why, though...

Although “fictional,” if you have seen the movie "Tin Men," it's easier to understand why neighborhoods’ full electrical hazards from siding installation are created.

Guys,
I don't know about you, but I reckon that this sort of thing is just down-right negligent and slack!.
It shows that the siding contractors, couldn't really give a stuff, about thier customers safety.
What say a child started to play with "the funny looking thing, hanging off the side of the house".