(Courtesy of Joe Tedesco)

I'm glad to see the meter was sealed in the last picture. Is this a remodel job or an abandoned building? Just wondering why the panel was left like this?

Al

I think they were nice enough to steal the meter seeing that they stole the main CB too. That way not leaving live loose conductors in the panel. Too bad they didn't install the base cover themselves.... What ever happened to courtesy?

This came to my attention from the utility company. They were notified by the police that they had caught the meter thief, and recovered the meter before the theft was discovered. The utility company ran the numbers and came up with the address and requested I check the status as they didn't have someone they could break loose immediately. As it turned out, the house is a vacant city owned structure and is pending demolition. It appears that the neighborhood started stripping out anything and everything of value before the demolition contractor was given the order to proceed. The service lines were energized to the meter socket and very accessible to children and passers-by. I carry a few of the meter rings and blank covers so was able to secure service until the utility company was able to get a serviceman free to drop the lines. Meter theft is becoming quite popular both as a swap meet sales item and also for some people that either plug themselves in to steal power or use a secondary meter part time in a "revenue sharing" scheme to keep their meter reads lower. ERFERTT

Codeenforcementguy,
Why is that wire coming out of that LB in the way that it is?.
Or is it just my eyesight?.
It just looks like it's always been like that.
This sort of thing really happens?.
Just a final question, what brand is that clamp meter?.

Oddly enough, I often get requests to 'salvage' the second meter when doing service changes. (We used to meter waterheaters separately). These requests invariably come from people who are wanting to park a trailer, convert a garage, or otherwise illegally "subdivide" their property, without regard for zoning, etc.
These people know what they're asking; they all know where to buy legal meters, and what the prices are- they're just too damn cheap to do it legally.

Mike


Are you asking about the 'scrapping' of items?

You bet, some things I heard that have gotten scarped that should not have been.

Aluminum street light poles, chopped down like trees.

All the copper pipes from unattended buildings.

An entire aluminum concert stage stolen and scrapped while still on the truck.

I was watching "Cops" on TV and they found a hole in the side of a building along with a water trail. They followed the water trail right to a guy with still hot and dripping water heater in a shopping cart.

Right now I can get about a $1.00 a pound for copper, it adds up fast.

Bob

[This message has been edited by iwire (edited 11-30-2004).]

Trumpy, If I am looking at the correct wires that you had a question on, that would be the manufacturer's installed connection to the main disconnect which was removed. I am finding less exposed bars and more covered wiring being used by manufacturer's to connect the meter sockets to the main disconnects. On the Brand of clamp meter, I will need to check and get back to you. It was on special at a local Harbor Freight store for $9.95 and I couldn't resist picking one up. Made in China and surprisingly versatile. It even came with batteries.

Is there something very strange with this world when you can go to the supply house, pay $300 for a meter and not get a battery but you can go to HF and get one that does about the same(for a while, at least)for $30 and it is "batteris included"?