ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Barrel Locks on Meters

Around here, it seems once the Contractor Work Request is OK'd by the POCO, they really don't care if you cut the ring and/or lock. In fact, it seems they'd rather you cut ring and/or lock to save them the "trouble" of a truck roll. And if you don't take things in your own hands, and instead wait for the POCO to unlock the meter you'll never get any jobs done.

Around here it's like Dnkldorf describes... and if they "ignore" your request to remove the lock, that's pretty much a license to get the grinder out.

After the job is done, an inspector from the POCO comes out. If all is OK, the POCO inspector schedules the installation of the metering and locks. Then the building department does the final "code" inspection.

At one of my friend's shop, he has a whole bin full or meter rings and CT locks... almost as if he were showing off scalps!

Joe

Where I used to work in Ohio, the Poco sealed with wire seals, clipping these for service work was no big deal. You would call and report and they would reseal.
Now where I am in the boonies of New Mexico the Poco is a small Coop that services a huge area with a crew of about 4 guys. There is no dispatch to call, the emergency number rings the one guy that is on call at his home. They would have my head if I ground off one of the locks. The customer service is terrible, that's why I started this thread, Just looking for alternatives for those infrequent emergencies.

Having said that, there is no real need to break PoCo seals here.
I can disconnect a house from the road pillar box or pole if it is required.
It saves having to encounter Pit-Bull dogs.
Or worse, Rottwielers.

Around here locks go on people that have a bad payment record. They also have these plastic inserts that go on the meter socket tabs to block the flow of electricity.

No one said a metal cutting saw yet. That's my key. Worked in every lock so far. I also herd of the saws-all blades with the carbide grit cutting locks.

The customer owns the meter socket here and the utility has nothing to say about opening it. OK. Maybe they will say who opened this. Ya tell em I did. Oh, OK.

Things are a bit differnt around here. Differnt strokes for differnt fokes. It takes different strokes to move the word.

Somewhere once I read that it is very dangerous to pull a meter especially if it is under a load. Hopefully, the EC is smart enough to knock the load off before they yank the meter.