There were no screws left securing this to the wall.

Is this bad, should it be fixed?
What are the dangers, what advice would you give?



Thanks in advance for your comments,
Bill

[This message has been edited by Webmaster (edited 08-11-2003).]

My advice... Screw it! (back in)

If that is painted RMC, I would be concerned that the remaining KOs would give someday, and as Bruce Springsteen once sang "Sparks fly on E street..."

BTW,
Is that a contactor enclosure on the bottom?



[This message has been edited by Redsy (edited 08-12-2003).]

Boy, what a setup. It looks to me like the power company has installed a surge suppression unit, which plugs into the meter socket, and then the meter plugs into it. The conduit and box under that unit could either be more surge suppression equipment, or a transfer switch that some power companies are installing now-a-days. These transfer switchs allow a portable generator to be attached to it, to provide emergency power. I havent seen any of these in the field yet, but have seen paperwork on them.

Due to all this extra equipment installed, I would contact the power company to come out to open it all up, then either have them re-screw it , or do it yourself, if you have the experience and knowledge, as well as tools to do it. One word of warning, the top lugs will still be hot, and, wouldn't you know it, there are 2 screw holes right next to those lugs. Be extra carefull!!

One of the dangers in this is that whoever pulled the socket loose, probably just pulled it from the wall. The screws that used to be attached into the wall behind the socket are now loose, and could fall into the hot lugs. Just banging it around to remoive the meter could cause an arc-flash, or worse.


Rick Miell


[This message has been edited by rmiell (edited 08-12-2003).]

Redsy,

I was hoping that you would know what that was behind the meter. This is from a Timeshare place in the Pocanos. I'm pretty sure that's 2" PVC below.

Bill

Rick,

I think in this case that the screws used on top were too fine a thread and not long enough.

I agree with your words of caution about the screws. I've seen them still hanging out the holes on several occasions and been very careful not to knock them in. I don't think this is a job that just anyone should try, and the Utility might have some strong opinions on that too.

Bill

Has anyone seen or heard of any Fires or Injuries that resulted from a situation like this?

Bill:
A few years back we experienced a slight variation on this. During a high wind, a tree limb pulled the service raceway, insulators and triplex from the side of a house, leaving the meter can attached to the house. The raceway, no longer in its vertical position, pulled tension on the conductors inside the can, where one of them came loose and grounded inside. FD was called out, and this fireworks display continued until shortly after our arrival when a primary fuse several houses down the street finally put an end to it. It scared hell out of the homeowner and others in the neighborhood, but fortunately resulted in no injuries and moderate property damage.

I have seen siding installers using a cat's paw or crowbar to dislodge meter cans from houses. In one case, they broke the back out of the meter can (this one in particular being made of some type of cast aluminum, I think)...they lived to regret that mistake.

Mike (mamills)

Mike,

I was called back to a job where I had done a Service change/relocation. The person had added an extension on a slab over the original UG service so it had to be re-routed around it. The contractor had removed the sill plate to put siding on and when he put it back he put a screw through the cable.

When I got there (about 15 min later) it was still shooting sparks and flames every minute or so. I told him I wasn't going near it. When POCO came and disconnected so I could fix it they would not reconnect without inspecting a good portion of the buried cable. They did reconnect, but because of some damage to the transformer some houses on that block only had one leg (120v) for a few days.

The contractor went to the hospital for tests and was released, - a lucky guy!

Bill

siders have had me called in for more dangeling meters (as well as screws in thier backsides) than i can recall.

once i slipped and put a s.r. screw into a lug, spat balls o' fire etc, the lead sider said "It can do that?" with eyes like pancakes....

It could be a pre-paid meter setup, with that smallish wire leading to a keypad/pay unit in the house.

This is at a popular Timeshare 'resort' or whatever it's called. I was wondering if it was used by Management to turn power on and off. I have the impression it's a busy place and they're usually booked, at least during the warm months. I can't see them turning off the power/heat in the winter if it's unoccupied.

Bill