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#8173 03/10/02 10:09 PM
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 60
J
Member
I am upgrading an electrical service and have run in to a strange problem for my knowledge. I can not get the meter off the original meter pan. All the key's and straps are off. I am pulling and pulling but it just wont come off. Then I noticed something the glass just twists off. Am I missing something here? [Linked Image] Guess I have been fortunate over the years to only upgrade newer services but this one has me stumpped. What am I over looking?

James

#8174 03/10/02 10:26 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,116
Likes: 4
Member
James,

Welcome aboard!
Is this an Outdoor meter installation? or Indoor?

Bill


Bill
#8175 03/10/02 10:38 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,056
R
Member
FYI,
Keep in mind while pulling on the meter that if it is that difficult and it is old, a terminal may come loose and gound out against the back of the front cover. Sparks will fly!

#8176 03/10/02 10:47 PM
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 60
J
Member
Outdoor meter

#8177 03/10/02 10:50 PM
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 60
J
Member
Thats why they call me "Sparky!" LOL. Nah I am not being that ruff with it just a little tugs.. You should see this service tho.. Cloth wiring and the emt as rusted away around it. Have to send Joe Tedesco a pic of this one.. [Linked Image]

#8178 03/10/02 11:08 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,116
Likes: 4
Member
James,

If it's an Outdoor meter I haven't seen any that won't come off either.

In the past I've had situations where the Meter couldn't be reset in the new pan and was told by Lilco to flat-connect and tie (hang) the old meter around the new service mast/riser and notify them and they would take care of it.

Bill


Bill
#8179 03/10/02 11:19 PM
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 60
J
Member
Perhaps with a little more light on the situiation I will be better able to see what is going on. I thought maybe Lilco may of installed some strange locks on them that I do not know about. Eh, maybe I can get a hold of a Lipa guy tomorrow..

Thanks for your help

James

#8180 03/11/02 05:57 PM
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 806
N
Member
Assuming that you are replacing everything from the weatherhead on down on a standard residential service, you can always extract the meter once the power is cut off.

Shut off the branches and main in the panel.

Check that the meter has stopped spinning.

Using a ladder, rubber gloves, and a clamp-on ammeter, verify zero current in the service drop, at the weatherhead. You don't want to disconnect any appreciable current. in the next step...

Using insulated cable shears, gloves, face shield, etc., cut the conductors of the service drop (one at a time, obviously [Linked Image]), cutting the 2 hots first, then the neutral. I like to cut them right at the utility side of the splices, if there is enough conductor length available. Tape up the hot ends of the triplex until you are ready to reconnect the new service riser.

You can now go ahead and remove the old meter pan and service riser/weatherhead, and can hack the old meter socket apart (I've had to use a sawzall a few times if the corrosion was serious or the meter was seriously "stuck" [Linked Image]) If the meter is burned or cannot be salvaged by cleaning the lugs, contact the utility.

On an installation that is old and deteriorated, pulling the meter with the socket hot can be quite risky. The old plastic or ceramic meterbase could fall apart, and drop the hot (unfused!) phase conductors into each other or into the metal enclosure. Bang! [Linked Image]

#8181 03/11/02 07:47 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,392
S
Member
NJwirenut;
good technique!

JMichael;
there are no bypasses? , some clamp....

#8182 03/11/02 09:30 PM
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 34
M
Member
Good technique assuming that the your local utility permits cutting the service.??!!?

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