Power Out - Day Two

[LBrown59]

they came out and put another plastic anti tamper tag on it.

Have you noticed they us 2 different colors of these tags?
Chris

when you break the meter seal it raises questions on why it was broke .

Have you noticed they use 2 different colors of seals?

 

[RobJ]

The switch is a physical switch between the two sources. My FIL was a former lineman and insisted it be done correctly. I was warned of the dangers. backfeeding into an outlet with the main off, can be dangerous in certain circumstances that someone with more knowlege will have to explain.

It's really not as long as you turn off the main first. Backfeeding 101. Even if a transformer will step up the voltage...there is not going to be much umph behind it. I backfeed mine when need with a simple double ended 3 prong 110 plug. I only need to power a few outlets...not the whole house.

BTW we were out 8 days during Ike.

 

[RobJ]

The only bad thing about pulling the meter is that when you break the meter seal it raises questions on why it was broke when the meter reader comes around to read your meter.They then think you have jumpered the meter to steal power.coobie

The old meters it wasn't that hard, you just had to turn the meter upside down...it would run backwards. DAMHIKT!!!

Our power company now wants to put in these "smart meters". They can operate them remotely, read them remotely. Oh and since they will save lots of money by not paying a meter reader....we get to pay for them! Makes perfect sense right!!

 

[shvl73]

It's really not as long as you turn off the main first. Backfeeding 101. Even if a transformer will step up the voltage...there is not going to be much umph behind it. I backfeed mine when need with a simple double ended 3 prong 110 plug. I only need to power a few outlets...not the whole house.

BTW we were out 8 days during Ike.

Now, I'm in no way an expert on this but, as it was explained to me...
If a house has a mis-wired panel, stray voltage leaks into the neutral and he stated that shutting off the main would not isolate this. He may have been wrong but, it worked for me.

 

[jake98]

Not sure who's the cheapskate?

Thought you bailed?

I don't think anyone is taking the chance of shocking someone lightly.

All I know is, the lineman himself, who I spoke with personally, indicated he's wired his own home to backflush the panel. Doesn't make it right, just means that some, including lineman, wire it that way.

He used, what he refered to as a lightning stick to test the line, he told me, if he could see that it was hot as a result of someone not throwing their main, he'd ask them to shut down the gen, if they refused, which he said on occassion some have, he fries the generator (not sure exactly how, but sounded like he could do it from the pole).

I don't think there is any doubt that a three way set up or transfer switch panel is the best to ensure both main and gen are not on at the same time.

Joel

Good luck with your line of reasoning. I'd say it's idiotic. Backflushing is plumbing, not electric.

 

[jake98]

They will not have to kill the street, they or your electrician just needs to pull the meter. Once that is down no electricity can flow through.

Chris

that would be.. what?.. a federal offense??

 

[coobie]

The old meters it wasn't that hard, you just had to turn the meter upside down...it would run backwards. DAMHIKT!!!

Our power company now wants to put in these "smart meters". They can operate them remotely, read them remotely. Oh and since they will save lots of money by not paying a meter reader....we get to pay for them! Makes perfect sense right!!

I agree,we are currently changing all of our meters to the digital readout ones.I think meter readers will be a thing of the pass in the not so near future.coobie

 

[Diamondpilot]

that would be.. what?.. a federal offense??

Are you a idiot or do you just like to argue with everyone? Oh, wait a minute, I see where you are from so I answered my own question.

Chris

 

[JoelD]

Good luck with your line of reasoning. I'd say it's idiotic. Backflushing is plumbing, not electric.

Funny how words like "cheapskate" and "idiotic" rarely if ever solicit an intelligent response.

No argument, backflush is non-optimal, but got me and mine through a pinch.

When summer comes I'll correct the wiring, no argument there.

Welcome to any suggestions you've got on solutions, there's always more than one way to skin a cat. I'm trying to avoid a complete seperate sub-pannel as I would like to power the entire house, not just certain circuits.

Joel

 

[coobie]

Have you noticed they us 2 different colors of these tags?
Chris

Have you noticed they use 2 different colors of seals?

We have grey,yellow and green seals for our meter sockets.They only give us lineman the grey color tags.The meter shop installs the other two colored ones.coobie