Does anyone here work in Atlantic City Electric Co area ??
We just did a 400 amp 3 phase 240 volt service in south jersey.
It was just a upgrade from 200 amp. Got the permit, did the paper work for the power company.
Used the approved meter socket model# that we got rite off the power companys web-site.

Had the job inspected ( passed )then called the power company to see when the 400 amp meter could be intalled so that we could remove the old service..

A power company guy went and checked the job .. then he called me and said I needed a 400 amp outdoor disconnect BEFORE the meter. I explained that we just did the same service a few miles away about 3 months ago with no disconnect. He said power company policy change .. I must install a disconnect before the meter socket.

I went back online and went through their on line service and meter instructions.. Either I am blind.. or it does not say or require a switch berore the meter socket .

My question is .. what would you do ?
Tell the customer it is going to cost them $800 for the switch .. plus the time to do it.. or fight the power company .. the new policy ?? was not in their online service requirement manual.

Stumped in SJ ..... Please give me your thoughts.. even if your not a NJ guy

I'm a Jersey guy.

I live in Rahway.

And I can't believe they insist on a disconnect BEFORE the meter.

There are plenty of NJ guys here that'll know more about this requirement. What POCO is requiring you to do this?

[This message has been edited by ShockMe77 (edited 11-18-2006).]

Atlantic City Electric... was Conective last year. Went back to ACE They serve a good part of south jersey.

Yes before the meter socket ... new one to me too. I asked the guy to fax or e-mail a copy of the new policy .. havent heard a thing in a week. The customer is waiting ..

It's a requirement for JCP&L in certain circumstances. Typically if the transformer bank serves more than one service. They want to be able to shut down just one service if they need to work on the meter. I don't fully understand it, but they want it. We had to do it in Red Bank as far back as 4 yrs ago.

As for who pays - tough one.

Who designed the service?

I desgined it.. the boss reviewed it signed and sealed the drawing along with the permit app. He then took it the township. Everything was A-OK said the inspector, and he sent in the cut-in-card.

Pretty simple service, overhead 4" pvc with 500 mcm to meter socket, 4" pvc & 500s out of meter socket to new 400 amp main breaker NQOD panelboard. 200 amp sub-feed breaker to existing panel.

Building is on the end of a street, has its own set of transformers on the pole. 120/240 3 phase delta.

The existing 200 amp meter is still in use till the new service is hooked up .. I am wondering if they some how think it is staying ?? Maybe that is why they want a disco ?? Here is ACEs Service Handbook.
http://www.atlanticcityelectric.com...chures/street_lighting/elec_srv_hand.pdf

then unfortunately, you are really on the hook for it. You can fight the POCO all you want, probably won't win. They don't care if they energize it or not.

Customer will say, rightly so, I hired you to do the job. You designed it. It's not my fault you did it wrong.

You can talk to the POCO, but if they are like JCP&L you are better off (removed)

[This message has been edited by electure (edited 11-19-2006).]

I have delt with the power company rep a few times .. he is a good guy .. I am hoping he will let it go.. most likely not though..

I just dont understand how they can make a policy change like that and not update their own handbook.
Do we need to ask on every job if there has been changes ??

We did darn near the same 400 amp service a few months ago.. same power co.. same power company rep. No disco required.

O well .. I guess We will have to deal with in the up comming week ...

Thanks for your input ..along with any others who decide to chime in .. feel free to comment guys .. I am all ears .. or all eyes in this case

Ever since JCP&L was purchased by First Energy, not only do you have to ask on every job, but you have to ask 6 different people and you will get 6 different answers. They don't even know their own requirements, but they will never budge an inch.

Good luck.

I posted on this topic a while ago.

https://www.electrical-contractor.net/ubb/Forum1/HTML/006773.html

They drove me nuts with this - We were doing work in PSEG territory where it is not required.

The kicker is - our customer (a large international construction management firm representing AT&T/Cingular) was more than willing to pay for the change order if we could either give them a spec that said it was required or a signed letter from JCP&L saying it was required in these cases.

JCP&L could not provide either - unbelieveable

Sounds like its time to call the better busines bureau, state's attourney's office, maybe even some local reporters. If enough complaints are filed the state might start applying pressure.

"Do we need to ask on every job if there has been changes ?? "

Yes indeed you do, we have a policy of reviewing every service upgrade, in the past year they have been inforcing the Load Data Sheets to be filed for every job, if your not filing them with the utility PSE&G or JCP&L then don't be supprised if you you get a call on a friday afternoon from a customer, telling you they are having their meter removed, the hit and run service jobs, are soon to be a thing of the past.

hit and run service jobs ??

How was it a hit and run ??

We filed the service and meter app, which included the load info as required. Followed the power companys "in writing" policy for the size service we did

Filed a drawing and permit app and got the permit

Got the job inspected and passed.

I dont know how easy it is to get a call back from the power company reps you deal with.. but I know in our area and also the Philly area where we often work its not so easy.. Seems like you always hear. "we are short handed" too many people on VK or sick leave.

Just very frustrating all around... They look at is as .. who cares .. call joe blow power company down the road.. O yes .. there is no one else .. so deal with us on our terms .. which can change daily .. and we dont have to tell when our terms change .. figure it out for yourself ..

UPDATE !!!

The power company gave us a break .. No disco required !! ( This Time )
Saves the customer big $$ and us the time from re doing the service ..
I guess even the power companys have a heart ... sometimes

yeah, well go right down the road and place a bet, today is your lucky day.

I'm glad that I was wrong about the POCO, now if only JCP&L would use common sense every now and again.

By Hit, and run I was refering to the contact with the utility company, in the past a service uppgrade, with no load change was started, and closed out, without the utility reviewing the job, now they are requiring the load data sheets, even if there is no change in load.

Guys:
Yes, the disco before the meter has been around for a while, depending on your POCO

PSE&G has 'HOT' sequence & 'COLD' sequence requirements. 'COLD' seq. translates to the disco before the meter, allowing the meter tech to do his/her thing 'dead'. Mostly on self contained 277/480, 200 amp.

JCP&L (GPU/First Energy) IMHO changes like the wind, or maybe it depends on the Field person.

Alas, the immortal words of the Great Sage...
TALK to the POCO guy....before you get into the job!!

John

kencr

Glad to hear itworked, although my warm sentiments are tempered by my frustration at your exact situation.

i wish they would not grant exceptions to this so called "policy" - it kills me when a client comes back and says "well contractor xyz got a a service cut in last week that didn't need this"

Don't get me wrong - if it saved me installing a 400A disco after everything was piped in, pulled and inspected i would have jumped on it the poCo's generosity.

It really stinks that this bureaucratic nonsense takes away from an otherwise enjoyable service install. Which is usually one of the more "fun" - parts of commercial work that a good mechanic enjoys.

oh well - just my 2 cents

Just wondering if anyone has run into this set of circumstances recently?