ECN Forum Forums Photo Discussion Forums Photos for General Discussion Open Knife Switch

Comments?

I pity the fool who brushes up against it!

Oh yes!!!! Right up my alley!!!

I love those Frankenstein switches!

Might pick up one when I go to Tijuana this coming week. Apparently they're still used for 30-amp services

I notice the meter has been removed and replaced with a blanking plate. Who does this and how is the plate attached?

Don't worry guys, If I do find that knife-switch, I will not install it in the apartment's electrical system.

I've seen plenty of these indoors, but I do believe that this is the first time I've ever seen one outside.

Is the neutral fused or is this a 220 volt no neutral service.

Scary!

Here's a clearer picture from a Mexican manufacturer's website:



And this is its corresponding 30-amp plug fuse

Rick,
Do you know how high above grade this was located?

It’s a bit hard to make out, but Sven’s catalog find is perfect—the "disconnecting means” looks even more suicidal...index finger in a very spartan phenolic ring.



It’s most likely that the “blanked-off” service is 120V (2-wire) with fused neutral. The object at 5 o’clock on the meter ring in the original image may be a padlock seal. { Plastic seal pic.}


"No aprobado por los laboratorios debajo de escritores." ;-)




[This message has been edited by Bjarney (edited 07-12-2003).]

Meter was right at 6' from grade. The local utility removed the meter when customer, who had lived in the house for 60+ years, was put into a nursing home. Blank is held in place with the meter ring, which has a screw to tighten it around the meter base.

This is the 1st time I have seen one of these outdoors, though I have seen them over bathtubs, on back porches, and above door ways, but all were inside, not outside.

SVEN, send me your address and I will send you one of these, maybe even the one in the picture!

Rick

It’s likely that the original installation was covered with a wooden “dog house” {made of the same material as the siding; topped with matching roofing material and fitted with a hinged door for the meter reader.}