ECN Forum Forums Safety Discussion and News Safety News and Product Recalls Electric Meter Explodes

I had an Electric Meter Explode on me the other day. I was doing a stanard meter change and the meter exploded destroying my safety gloves and causing 2nd and 3rd degree burns to my hands and face. I am trying to find if this has happened to anybody else
the meter is a 3 phase self contained
Ge VM 65-s
I believe it was the current coils thatshorted out starting the explosion. The meter is pretty much destroyed so it's hard to tell
Any similar experiences would be helpful.

posted at SAFTENG.net but I am not an electrical expert and was hoping maybe some of you could help out Les Endo Jr . He can be reached at chirpsmrf@yahoo.com or you can reach me at Bhaywood@fuse.net.

Thanks!

Bryan Haywood www.SAFTENG.net

Any update yet? Really scary to hear about this accident. The new rule in the 2002 NEC in 110.16 should have been consudered.

Where are the URL addresses for the image library you had post here last month?

Is there some way that we can see them? For those who don't want to see the images, maybe a warning of some kind will work?

Bryan,

Electric meters are dangerous things. I've had a single phase meter explode on me a few years ago, & the only saving graces were my class "0" rubber gloves & leather protectors, nomex uniform & face shield. (wearing face shield was not required & honestly I don't know why I put it on that day..) Thank god for protective gear!!! Also being a lefty I set meters from right side of socket, instead of standing in front of socket.

Do you have any pictures of the meter socket or the meter? Has the meter manufacturer looked at the remains to try to determine what happened. For my single phase explosion, the insulation on the current coils failed & the meter went phase to phase, the meter blew up & the jaws in the socket evaporated ...

A good website for meter men is www.themeterguy.com, they also have have a forum set up to discuss safety, products etc...

Bob

Thanks guys!!! I will pass this info on to my subscriber.

Joe the link for the electrical accident photos can be found at my homepage, www.SAFTENG.net . Down the left hand side of the page, you will see the link for Accident Photos and from there you will see the link for the electrical accidents. As you mentioned...THESE PHOTOS ARE REAL and VERY GRAPHIC in nature. If this type of thing bother you, you will NOT want to visit the photos.

By the way, if any of you have any photos of accidents, injuries or unsafe acts/conditions, please send them to me. I can give you credit or not, which ever you prefer.

Thanks again Joe and Bob!

Bryan www.SAFTENG.net

this just backs my position.
i won't pull old meters.
if it's an OH service i'll simply cut/resplice there....

Hey Brian, I hope you recover from this really soon. Glad to hear you're alive, it sounds like this is the sort of thing that people don't always walk away from.

Anyhoo, like I said, get well soon- I hope you make a fast recovery.

-Alpha