# Smart meter.



## Emysdad72 (Nov 9, 2012)

I need to replace the 150amp 240 main breaker in the meter can. It is a screw in breaker. Normally this would be about a 15 minute job, no big deal. But, it is a new digital smart meter, which I have minimal experience with yet, with all the corresponding wireless data etc... If I do this live will I damage the meter?


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Pull the meter, change it, and gtfod


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## Loadover (Nov 9, 2012)

mcclary's electrical said:


> Pull the meter, change it, and gtfod


Hi Jerry.


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

mcclary's electrical said:


> Pull the meter, change it, and gtfod


..........


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

get tofu, farina, watch Oprah and douche


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Loadover said:


> Hi Jerry.


Hi....


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

wildleg said:


> get tofu, farina, watch Oprah and douche


I might have to write gtfod on all of my tools.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

Chris1971 said:


> ..........


Get the f... out dude


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

dronai said:


> Get the f... out dude


I think he meant get the f outta dodge (maybe it's a local thing)


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Somehow relevant:


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## Emysdad72 (Nov 9, 2012)

*Smart meter*

Can't pull the meter, it's a smart meter it will stop broadcasting and cost my client $500 for tampering. If I was going to pull the meter I would just call the power company and have them shut it off. But they charge for that. i don't mind doing it live, it's an easy project, I just don't want my client to have to call the power company to replace it. The feeders for the panel will be removed, breaker off, so no load. If it arcs at all it will be minimal. i just need to know how sensitive the smart meters are? If I do it live I can save the client $200.


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

Emysdad72 said:


> Can't pull the meter, it's a smart meter it will stop broadcasting and cost my client $500 for tampering. If I was going to pull the meter I would just call the power company and have them shut it off. But they charge for that. i don't mind doing it live, it's an easy project, I just don't want my client to have to call the power company to replace it. The feeders for the panel will be removed, breaker off, so no load. If it arcs at all it will be minimal. i just need to know how sensitive the smart meters are? If I do it live I can save the client $200.


Is your life worth saving $200.00?


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## Emysdad72 (Nov 9, 2012)

LMAO, You know how many cable trays I have climbed in full of live 480 circuits as an industrial electrician? I'm not too worried about a 120/240 service. I'm probably one of the more careful electricians you'll meet, single dad and all. Just looking for info on the smart meters from someone with more experience with them than me.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Emysdad72 said:


> Can't pull the meter, it's a smart meter it will stop broadcasting and cost my client $500 for tampering. If I was going to pull the meter I would just call the power company and have them shut it off. But they charge for that. i don't mind doing it live, it's an easy project, I just don't want my client to have to call the power company to replace it. The feeders for the panel will be removed, breaker off, so no load. If it arcs at all it will be minimal. i just need to know how sensitive the smart meters are? If I do it live I can save the client $200.


That's crazy! I pull smart meters all of the time. 
I would ask the client if he either wanted to gamble on the $500 fine or pay the $200 fee if that's what the agreement is with the POCO.

These days, I shy away from anything hot. Not so much when I was younger. I was a bit ignorant those days.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Emysdad72 said:


> LMAO, You know how many cable trays I have climbed in full of live 480 circuits as an industrial electrician?


Insulated I assume?


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## cdnelectrician (Mar 14, 2008)

Emysdad72 said:


> LMAO, You know how many cable trays I have climbed in full of live 480 circuits as an industrial electrician? I'm not too worried about a 120/240 service. I'm probably one of the more careful electricians you'll meet, single dad and all. Just looking for info on the smart meters from someone with more experience with them than me.


There is more than enough current available at the meter to do some serious harm if something went wrong. I have done my share of stupid things in the past including pulling meters and changing out burnt meter jaws live etc. but after I was involved in a serious arc blast which I luckily came out of uninjured, I would never attempt what you are trying to do. Who knows, something could very easily come loose if it is an old meter base and short out. Not to mention as soon as you remove the meter or disconnect the service drop at the mast head it will send a signal to the poco telling them it is being tampered with, and most likely it will cost you and your client more than 200 bucks. Just call them up and do it right. Just my 2 cents.


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## Emysdad72 (Nov 9, 2012)

cdnelectrician said:


> There is more than enough current available at the meter to do some serious harm if something went wrong. I have done my share of stupid things in the past including pulling meters and changing out burnt meter jaws live etc. but after I was involved in a serious arc blast which I luckily came out of uninjured, I would never attempt what you are trying to do. Who knows, something could very easily come loose if it is an old meter base and short out. Not to mention as soon as you remove the meter or disconnect the service drop at the mast head it will send a signal to the poco telling them it is being tampered with, and most likely it will cost you and your client more than 200 bucks. Just call them up and do it right. Just my 2 cents.



This is all on the load side. I don't need to disconnect anything dut the feeders to the panel and two screws. The breaker is the main disconnect after the meter. I have done this many time but this is my first smart meter. They are still fairly new in these parts. There will be no load and except for the breaker there is nothing else in this part of the can except the two short blades for the breaker. As Long as I don't touch the shaft of the screw driver I'll be fine, and even then I could put the screws in by hand as long as I didn't ground myself. I am an industrial electrician and forced to work on live high voltage quite a bit. I will be wearing my arc flash uniform I wear every day, and I even have a face shield. Safety is not my issue, but rather the sensitivity of the smart meters. But, If I take the other dude (sorry, didn't double check your name before replying) at his word that he pulls smart meters all the time then I can assume that they are not overly sensitive. So, indirectly as it may be, I think I have an answer, seeing that more arc would be produced in that process than this one. thank you.


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## cdnelectrician (Mar 14, 2008)

Suit yourself! Have at it then..


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## Emysdad72 (Nov 9, 2012)

And yes, insulated wires, lol.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

Emysdad72 said:


> Can't pull the meter, it's a smart meter it will stop broadcasting and cost my client $500 for tampering. If I was going to pull the meter I would just call the power company and have them shut it off. But they charge for that. i don't mind doing it live, it's an easy project, I just don't want my client to have to call the power company to replace it. The feeders for the panel will be removed, breaker off, so no load. If it arcs at all it will be minimal. i just need to know how sensitive the smart meters are? If I do it live I can save the client $200.


Ya know what??

If I were ya I will just go ahead and call the POCO to drop that smart meter connires off line while you replace the main breaker and you say something that is a 15 min task I am pretty sure the POCO don't mind stay for 15 minutes to wait for ya to swap the breaker and test it.

I rather pay 200 USD than pay the freaking fine when someone is ticked off and end up pay the fine and the POCO can call in the LEO to come and meet ya so that something you have to think about it.

Merci,
Marc


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## socalelect (Nov 14, 2011)

Emysdad72 said:


> LMAO, You know how many cable trays I have climbed in full of live 480 circuits as an industrial electrician? I'm not too worried about a 120/240 service. I'm probably one of the more careful electricians you'll meet, single dad and all. Just looking for info on the smart meters from someone with more experience with them than me.


The most dangerous electrician is a complacent. Electrician


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## denny3992 (Jul 12, 2010)

If it can wait, do it when theres a storm......

Not what i would do, but its a thought, in mt poco ive changed many services and they NEVER come out unless i call them for a mast or ug service change( yea we have smart read meters)


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