# Old house electrical inspection



## Lisa132 (Aug 13, 2020)

I have a summer home in Nova Scotia which is used a few weeks a year and I shut down the power through the utility provider (Nova Scotia Power) each year and have it turned back on for the summer. It is always within the period of time before an account would go dormant and an inspection would be required to turn it back on. I returned to the house this summer to discover that Nova Scotia Power had removed the meter over the winter in preparation for installation of a smart meter a program they have started in NS. They did not install the smart meter because they indicated they did not know if/when they power would be requested to be turned back on. They did not contact me about the installation of the meter or to inquire about the plans for turning it back on. Because they have removed the meter and did not immediately reinstall the smart meter they have indicated they are treating this as a new installation and require a full building inspection. This house is over a 100 years old and can't be expected to be to current codes. If there is a requirement to bring the house to current codes, we will lose the house as we just can't put the money into a house use so infrequently. Are they allowed to do this? They removed the meter without our consent and created this difficult situation.


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## Kevin (Feb 14, 2017)

Lisa132 said:


> I have a summer home in Nova Scotia which is used a few weeks a year and I shut down the power through the utility provider (Nova Scotia Power) each year and have it turned back on for the summer. It is always within the period of time before an account would go dormant and an inspection would be required to turn it back on. I returned to the house this summer to discover that Nova Scotia Power had removed the meter over the winter in preparation for installation of a smart meter a program they have started in NS. They did not install the smart meter because they indicated they did not know if/when they power would be requested to be turned back on. They did not contact me about the installation of the meter or to inquire about the plans for turning it back on. Because they have removed the meter and did not immediately reinstall the smart meter they have indicated they are treating this as a new installation and require a full building inspection. This house is over a 100 years old and can't be expected to be to current codes. If there is a requirement to bring the house to current codes, we will lose the house as we just can't put the money into a house use so infrequently. Are they allowed to do this? They removed the meter without our consent and created this difficult situation.


First, this site is only for licensed electricians, so if/when the thread gets closed, I'll follow you to the sister site that non-electricians are to use to help you there.

You said you use it "a few weeks a year". For something that is used so little, I'd probably go towards an off-grid system if you're permitted to, such as solar only, or solar and gas generator.

Unfortunately, if Nova Scotia is anything like here in Ontario, the power company will require a Connection Order from the inspection department to say "yes, this wiring is safe" before they can connect it again after the power has been off for so long. I can't remember the exact rules for Ontario but they should be similar.


This means it may ultimately be up to the inspection department. You may be able to have a discussion with the electrical inspector, tell them the story of what happened, and get a connection order without bringing everything to current code, or he may make you have some things brought to new code before a connection order is issued, as withholding a connection order is the easiest way for someone to be forced to bring everything to code.

Sounds like you'll have some phone calls to make. I hope this helps you.


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## Lisa132 (Aug 13, 2020)

Sorry about that wrong site, thank you Kevin I'll close this account and post on the sister site. Its unfortunate because we are still within the time period permitted to turn the power back on without an inspection but because they removed the meter they created this requirement.


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## Lisa132 (Aug 13, 2020)

Thank you your input has been helpful


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## Kevin (Feb 14, 2017)

Lisa132 said:


> Sorry about that wrong site, thank you Kevin I'll close this account and post on the sister site. Its unfortunate because we are still within the time period permitted to turn the power back on without an inspection but because they removed the meter they created this requirement.


The sister site is DIYchatroom.com just so you know.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

The DIY site probably won’t be much help. 

The utility can remove the meter without consent since they own it. There’s probably a legal thing somewhere that says they have access to the property.

This one’s odd. We have power disconnected/reconnected on old houses all the time with no issues. If the issue is that the home has been without power for a period of time, I would like to see the rule that says it has to be brought up to code. A five year old house would fail that inspection.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Mods, I would like to see this one stay open because it’s a good electrical discussion.


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## canbug (Dec 31, 2015)

I would hesitate to say that there are no renovations in the house and therefore does not need to be up to today's standard but if your insurance gets involved, they may make you update it for safety concerns.

Tim


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## Lisa132 (Aug 13, 2020)

Thank you, no renovations in the house and insurance is not a big worry the house has alot of sentimental value but is not worth much.


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## Lisa132 (Aug 13, 2020)

I shouldn't say no renovations, just minimal electrical one or two new lights. Because they wouldn't meet current code wired into the old panel would removing them potentially solve the issue and the original untouched wiring may be grandfathered?


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Lisa132 said:


> I shouldn't say no renovations, just minimal electrical one or two new lights. Because they wouldn't meet current code wired into the old panel would removing them potentially solve the issue and the original untouched wiring may be grandfathered?


That’s a decision by the inspection department. It would be worth your while to hire a local electrical contractor to help fight your battle (one who is established, knows his way around and who to call).


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## Lisa132 (Aug 13, 2020)

I will thank you 99 cents that's great advise


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## Bird dog (Oct 27, 2015)

Lisa132 said:


> they have indicated they are treating this as a new installation and require a full building inspection. This house is over a 100 years old and can't be expected to be to current codes.


So, this house was built in 1880. Has it ever been rehabbed & brought up to current code?


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## Lisa132 (Aug 13, 2020)

No for the most part it hasn't it has a fuse panel and the older BX without a ground on several circuts, most of the others appear to be a little more modern with a ground (NM)


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Lisa. 99 made a good point about the merit of this thread. So I have reopened it.


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## Bird dog (Oct 27, 2015)

Has BX always been some type of thermoplastic/nylon conductor insulation or originally was it made with cloth & rubber?


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## canbug (Dec 31, 2015)

I believe the older, much older stuff is cloth and rubber.

Tim


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Interesting thread. 

I agree that the meter is POCO (Hydro) property and they have rights to enter and take their meter.

OP did not get contacted by Hydro because the account was dormant. Effectively, Hydro had no customer to contact. I'd guess everyone with an active account was notified. 

I'd think OP should write a letter to Hydro outlining the facts as they exist and explaining they only want to be treated the same as they've been treated for the past 30 years and that is shut off account during winter and turn it back on for a short period in the summer. OP did nothing different, Hydro is the one who did something different, by removing the analog meter in effort of their smart meter conversion program. OP should not suffer due to action of Hydro.
A well written letter just may get them to turn it back on, either using the old analog meter or a new smart meter.
It's worth a try anyway. Only costs a stamp. Send it to the highest board member you can find a mailing address for.

And then plan B is to learn to enjoy the cabin off-grid as suggested above.


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## Lisa132 (Aug 13, 2020)

Thank you Mike, I never thought of that possibility that they treated it as a dormant account. We have been doing the disconnection/reconnections annually for almost 35 years. I guess the only difference this year is that they went to install the smart meter. We received notice of a transfer of utility providers from the municipality to Nova Scotia Power in December 2018 during one of our shut off (dormant) periods in December 2018 so maybe it was changing service providers that caused the issue. Weird thing is the municipality indicated that NS Power asked the municipality for our file when they removed the meter and it was provided but they never contacted us. Seems like a big mix up all around. I like the idea of the letter though. I had looked at the Better Business Bureau and the conflict resolution within Nova Scotia Power but hoping that a kind approach worked best. Here's still hoping. We were actually planning to stop with the disconnections this year and rather turn off at the panel so wish we had of started a year earlier.


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