# worst shock so far



## NoSparkSparky (Mar 5, 2012)

I guess I should be MostlyNoSparkSparky, in dec 2011 I got a bad zap, we did a service chage out... dropped the overhead, hooked up temp power everything, went about our business for the rest of the day.. came time to hook up the overhead.

IM feeding it from a 6ft ladder to the other guy...


XXXXXZZZZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAP
got dizy and threw the ****ing service wire down.

I was wearing gloves (although only cheapy thin leather work gloves)... inspected the wire and see two bare scrapes on both the hots about a hand length apart.. **** it looked just like paint or sun fading.. but yeah I got a nice 240 shock hand to hand, phase to phase. fun stuff i tell yah..

normally in a down service situation I inspect the wire over and over.. but this wasnt a downed wire.. its beenn flapping in the wind for who knows how long like this... there was about 1/8th of an inch between the bare hot scrape and the carrier wire!!! Im surprised it didnt spark up when we dropped it to replace the service!

my new rule.... always THROUGHLY inspect the service wire 

at a glance though like I said looked like paint or sun bleaching...
yikes.
be careful out there


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

NoSparkSparky said:


> I guess I should be MostlyNoSparkSparky, in dec 2011 I got a bad zap, we did a service chage out... dropped the overhead, hooked up temp power everything, went about our business for the rest of the day.. came time to hook up the overhead.
> 
> IM feeding it from a 6ft ladder to the other guy...
> 
> ...


Why do you guys drop the cable why not leave it hooked to the house?:blink:


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## NoSparkSparky (Mar 5, 2012)

first off, had to be re routed.. large tree in the way (probably where scrapes came from)

second... sometimes its just nessasary... hook it where? 

we do ALOT Of services changes, and most of the time, the PKnob isnt going to end up where it was.. especially in downed service situations (we had 140mph winds last week!).

anyways, its much easier to hook up my cheater cord when its laying on the ground 

assuming we arnt crossing roadways and such, better to just drop it to ground, pull it back up when ready


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## Mrmanly (May 23, 2010)

"anyways, its much easier to hook up my cheater cord when its laying on the ground"

Do you want that on your tombstone?

Call the power company. They will move it for you.


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## NoSparkSparky (Mar 5, 2012)

Mrmanly said:


> "anyways, its much easier to hook up my cheater cord when its laying on the ground"
> 
> Do you want that on your tombstone?
> 
> Call the power company. They will move it for you.



The power company would say "why dont you just move it yourself?"

or they would say "that will be 250 bucks"

Ive changed tons of services, this is the only one i ever got zapped on. My boss and coworker have done ALOT more than me, and never got zapped.

Around here, there is a drop-loop policy, pretty much the only time we get it unhooked is when its an underground feed......... and Ive seen that done with it live!


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## NoSparkSparky (Mar 5, 2012)

Mrmanly said:


> "anyways, its much easier to hook up my cheater cord when its laying on the ground"
> 
> Do you want that on your tombstone?
> 
> Call the power company. They will move it for you.



I guess, we could have the power company disconnect it for 250, and go rent a generator so we can run power tools. Ill make sure we tell everyone that needs a service change (or putting a down service back up) that your powers going to be off until the power company feels like getting around to putting it back AND that will be another 500 bucks

or even better watch a contractor loose his **** cuz he's gotta rent a gen for a job. because the powercompany wont be around for a while and all the construction power is gonna be off until then. lol

Where do you guys work? somewhere where contractors actually do things right?

not around here :no:

I guess we could tell them that, but I imagine work would be pretty slow around here:blink:


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

NoSparkSparky said:


> I guess, we could have the power company disconnect it for 250, and go rent a generator so we can run power tools. Ill make sure we tell everyone that needs a service change (or putting a down service back up) that your powers going to be off until the power company feels like getting around to putting it back AND that will be another 500 bucks
> 
> or even better watch a contractor loose his **** cuz he's gotta rent a gen for a job. because the powercompany wont be around for a while and all the construction power is gonna be off until then. lol
> 
> ...


SOP here is to have the power company disconnect and reconnect any service, underground of overhead. New smart meters tip them off the second the meter loses power, around here the power companies fee is always included in the service change estimate. It's a lot more than $250 too. 

Lose your shirt on a generator rental? Or you could just buy one if you see yourself using it a lot.


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## NoSparkSparky (Mar 5, 2012)

or we just keep doing the way we have always done it.. drop the loop, live and all.. hook up a cheater cord for the power tools.

Just be careful, hey I dont take it lightly... that was the only zap i ever got like that.. and it deffently made me EVEN MORE cautious. I wear my thicker gloves(and a present to myself when I pass the test, Im gonna buy approved insulated gloves), and I inspect that wire, even if I dont suspect there is damage.

First time I reconnected a overhead I was sweating and nervious.. and sweating made me more nervious!

Ive done a ton of them now, that I am just HIGHLY cautious and take my time. This is one where my boss doesnt cry that Im working slow, cuz even he seems pretty damn cautious hooking these bad boys up..

oh yeah, we still use freakin split bolts to do it! or if we know the Power company is coming behind us (whenever they feel like it)... mechanical butt splices


If would be nice to live in a magical land where everyone was fine waiting for the power company to hook **** back up, where nobody gave a crap about 250 bucks to do it, when people respected my safety, and hell while we are at it everyone pulled a permit (cuz I didnt mention that alot of this is done this way because a permit isnt pulled... yes thats SOP for people around here in the mountains.... but dont worry.. my **** would still pass an inspection


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## Mike D (Sep 16, 2008)

Wow.
I will not allow my employees to do this method. We have POCO disconect, take small genny for power and have POCO come back for reconnect.

Not worth the potential risks. OSHA, Workmans Comp will have a field day with your employer when someone gets hurt (if reported) or property is damaged.

It does seem like it would be easier sometimes, however, it only takes one time and I could lose everything I ever worked for.

I weigh out the risk VS payoff. In this case not worth it.

(Remember I race Road Motorcycles for fun, have spent a few years in Iraq working, I understand RISK)



At the very least, you should be wearing your PPE.


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## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

Here in New England with some poco's service is tied in buy EC from the street and the poco is supposed to come along at a later date and change wire from mast to pole. Can't tell you how many services I've seen where 3 years later they haven't touched it yet. I personally hate doing it but they won't. So arc flash gear, insulated tools , fiberglass ladder and a whole lotta heavy breathing are required!!


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## NoSparkSparky (Mar 5, 2012)

Well as I said, you can pay the poco, but really they prefer we just do it the way I mentioned (although I dont know how they feel about my cheater cord  )

The two pocos around here are the laziest bastards ever, as someone else mentioned three years later I still see my connection up there, and they are supposed to come behind us and change them out to perminent crimps. noooo

Ive seen these guys PATCH triplex overheads rather than run a new one!

I bet if I goto the service I was shocked on in december... but there is still red electrical tape covering those bare spots... we informed the poco of the wire.. you think they went and fixed it? I would be money on it they didnt.

I wanted to rubber tape up the scrapes and super33.. my coworker said "**** them they need to replace it" I just gave him a look like "YOU KNOW THEY WONT"

doubt they even came by to check it out.. if they did they saw that red tape... shruged and said "thats fine"

but we have it in writing and phone calls that we informed them. so its their ****ing problem.. its their wire anyways.. my **** is all legit and cool from that weatherhead down


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## manchestersparky (Mar 25, 2007)

Around here the POCO will try to get you locked up for that move.

Ever hear of the code NFPA70E ?
Sounds like a major issue


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## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

Around here its not an option its a requirement. The poco will not turn off power for a service change or upgrade. The EC is required to tie in the feeds! Its not "pulling a fast one" its REQUIRED! Trust me I would love it to be different but its not. Just suit up and do it safely.


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## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

Trust me I wouldn't dream of doing it without ppe, insulated tools, rubber mats and if I can Polaris lugs, problem with polaris is they are expensive and when the poco does finally come out to upsize the wire if its a service upgrade they just chuck em! You see alot of services in northshore Mass with romex connectors for splices, crazy! I usually use splitbolts and rubber tape, do as much as I can prep on the ground and be really careful:/


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## NoSparkSparky (Mar 5, 2012)

Tim sounds like you are in a very similar situation to me. Although its not required here, it is what they prefer.

And yes splitbolts and rubber tape are good friends of mine 

As for ppe.. yeah some more would be nice, perhaps some of my next purchases.


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## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

What really sucks is just when your halfway into cutting over and it starts raining! Wish they made fiberglass umbrellas, I'd tape one to my back or the side of the ladder


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## CopperSlave (Feb 9, 2012)

Question for you guys using split-bolts and rubber tape to reconnect with. Just curious, why don't you use insulinks and crimpers? Split-bolts would seem a bit cumbersome to me when working hot. We use insulinks for the ungrounded and H-taps for the grounded.
Not trying to hi-jack the thread or get it off topic, just curious.


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## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

No great question. Split bolts and rubber tape are reliable and cheap if done right. The poco (if they ever come) just cut the whole splice apart and throw the taps away. It used to kill my old boss to see that happen, he even tried to get the poco to return the taps but that never happened so we did it with splitbolts.


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

NoSparkSparky said:


> If would be nice to live in a magical land where everyone was fine waiting for the power company to hook **** back up, where nobody gave a crap about 250 bucks to do it, when people respected my safety, and hell while we are at it everyone pulled a permit


Magical land? We're simply not allowed to disconnect the service ourselves, good luck finding a contractor in town to do this for you. The customer has no choice but to pay Hydro upwards of $500 to disco/reco the service.


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## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

I actually WISH there was a fine for having to do it live but not here. Inspector comes before tie in and gives you the ok. Only requirement is call the poco and tell them your cutting the lock on the meter and what size sevice upgrade is going in, thats it. As long as the inspector has signed the permit and it passed its all up to the EC after that.....like it or not. And hope the poco shows up in the next some odd years. Its almost laughable if you think about it! The seat of civilization with all its rules and all but here you go, thats the street side and have at it


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## NoSparkSparky (Mar 5, 2012)

the POCO doesnt give a crap about those little tags. They dont check them or anything, they just walk right up cut it off, it falls on the ground. lol I also find lately that I have been able to undo the tag with no damage by just pulling it with needlenose.. comes right undone way easy.


Hell we even hook the service back up before the inspector checks it out!!


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## TimChaput69 (Nov 14, 2011)

I've actually had an inspector tell me over the phone " don't wait for me!" Yeah, here when you pull the meter they give you a ref# and tell you to go ahead and remove the lock. If your upgrading the service they give you another # and tell you they will upgrade the service laterals/drops when they schedule it. The reference # is for the permit and inspection. Anyway yes you get really good at opening the locks without just cutting them.


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