Homeowners Surprise? How to Save on Your Electric Bill

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Homeowners Surprise? How to Save on Your Electric Bill #110386
04/05/06 06:34 PM 04/05/06 06:34 PM

Admin

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Member

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,496
NY, USA

Quote

We were called out to determine why a customers meter was running backwards. The homeowner told us that the only work that was done was a light was installed in their upstairs bedroom, before that there were no problems.

A quick background on this development - all underground feed, 100A from POCO transformer. I didn't take a picture of the inside but, there was a relatively new 150A SQ D Homeline MCB panel installed (<1 yr) with no inspection.

Notice the meter socket (100A overhead)
Notice the lugs that they landed the line side on
Notice the size of the service cable going into the panel (4/0 AL SEU)
Notice the neutral
Notice that we gave the homeowner a price to do this correctly and have not heard from her.

It was ugly. And whoever put it in, did it live. The POCO never shut the power off.

- mahlere

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Re: Homeowners Surprise? How to Save on Your Electric Bill #110387
04/06/06 01:03 AM 04/06/06 01:03 AM

napervillesoundtech Offline

Member

Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 144
Naperville, IL, USA

Does she get a credit or a bill each month? [Linked Image]

Re: Homeowners Surprise? How to Save on Your Electric Bill #110388
04/06/06 06:52 AM 04/06/06 06:52 AM

mahlere

Member

Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 507
New Jersey

i don't know, but she's got a POCO that is threatening to fine her for stealing electric. [Linked Image]

[This message has been edited by mahlere (edited 04-06-2006).]

Re: Homeowners Surprise? How to Save on Your Electric Bill #110389
04/07/06 12:27 AM 04/07/06 12:27 AM

SolarPowered Offline

Member

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 625
Palo Alto, CA, USA

Hey... She got all the wires hooked up, and the lights work OK. What more more do you want? It's just that dumb meter thingee--it doesn't really do anything important, does it?

Re: Homeowners Surprise? How to Save on Your Electric Bill #110390
04/07/06 01:39 AM 04/07/06 01:39 AM

Elviscat

Member

Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 214
Seattle Washington USA

I'm still confused as to why the meter was running backwards, nad it'd be interesting to see how they got that 4/0 aluminum into those lugs... bad job all around
-Will

Re: Homeowners Surprise? How to Save on Your Electric Bill #110391
04/07/06 06:25 AM 04/07/06 06:25 AM

mahlere

Member

Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 507
New Jersey

elvis cat, they have the feed from the xfrmr on the load lugs and the load to the panel on the line lugs. They are actually running power through the meter backwards, similar to if you were to flip the meter upside down in a correctly wired setup.

Re: Homeowners Surprise? How to Save on Your Electric Bill #110392
04/07/06 07:23 AM 04/07/06 07:23 AM

sandro2

Member

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 49
philadelphia,PA

Well I guess she can flip the meter.lol

Re: Homeowners Surprise? How to Save on Your Electric Bill #110393
04/07/06 12:36 PM 04/07/06 12:36 PM

mxslick

Member

Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 803
Atomic City, ID USA

Not to be bashing the trade, but why is the POCO threatening her? The problem was whoever wired the meter socket totally got it wrong. It is unreasonable of the POCO to expect any homeowner to be able to KNOW how a meter socket is supposed to be wired!!

And if the POCO noticed that the meter was running backwards even though it is installed upright, then that's thier responsibility too.

If the POCO doesn't lighten up, I hope she seeks legal assistance.

However, if she chooses to leave it as is,

Quote

Notice that we gave the homeowner a price to do this correctly and have not heard from her.

then the POCO would have a strong case for disconnection until it's corrected.

Stupid should be painful.

Re: Homeowners Surprise? How to Save on Your Electric Bill #110394
04/07/06 03:34 PM 04/07/06 03:34 PM

mahlere

Member

Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 507
New Jersey

job was never filed or inspected. she claims she doesn't know who did it.

we are in the NYC area, BS is way of life. You come to expect it and learn to smell it.

This lady was slingin it.

Honestly, I think her husband did the work.

Re: Homeowners Surprise? How to Save on Your Electric Bill #110395
04/08/06 04:22 AM 04/08/06 04:22 AM

Tesla

Member

Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,273
Sacramento, CA

I'd say you're looking at how a DIYer homeowner follows Internet instructions to save on his power bill.

I would wear tall boots when conversing with the homeowners: the ground will be slippery.

Tesla

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