Electrical service upgrade on home

[carnes51214]

I am doing an electrical service on a house..My question is What is the best way to perform this? The homeowners are living in the home..

I realize we need to get a permit, then get power company to disconnect power, then call for inspection.. then get power turned back on..This is a lot of down time for the home owner..

It seems that if I get the power turned off in the morning and schedule the inspection the next day they will be without power all night..

Is there an easier or better way to perform this..

Thanks in Advance..

 

[qcroanoke]

I am doing an electrical service on a house..My question is What is the best way to perform this? The homeowners are living in the home..

I realize we need to get a permit, then get power company to disconnect power, then call for inspection.. then get power turned back on..This is a lot of down time for the home owner..

It seems that if I get the power turned off in the morning and schedule the inspection the next day they will be without power all night..

Is there an easier or better way to perform this..

Thanks in Advance..

I have used the old SE to re-feed the new meter by connecting the old SE to the load lugs of the new meter socket.
never had POCO cut it loose at top of house. Just pulled the meter changed the service hooked it in the load lugs and put the meter back in the old meter socket and wala panel was hot.
And before ya'll start this is allowed by our POCO. They have actually asked me if I was going to backfeed the service until they could come and cut the new service in for me. Of course they would not do that until EI came and approved it and called it in to them.

 

[infinity]

Around here we would permit, disconnect, install, reconnect and then get an inspection which can take up to a week. A few weeks later the POCO does their thing, usually inspecting, changing the meter and making permanent connections at the drop.

 

[mjf]

Around here there are 2 ways to take care of it.

If on POCO's approved list (I am), we disconnect and reconnect ourselves (single family residential only) and have a meter pan "jumper" if the existing meter can't be reinstalled.

The other PITA way is to coordinate with POCO and inspector ahead of time (and hope there is no wicked rain storms). POCO disconnects in AM, perform work, EI comes in afternoon- calls POCO with the OK, POCO reconnects in evening. Usually works out fairly smoothly.....but that's around here....not there.

 

[cpinetree]

coordinate with POCO and inspector ahead of time (and hope there is no wicked rain storms). POCO disconnects in AM, perform work, EI comes in afternoon- calls POCO with the OK, POCO reconnects in evening. Usually works out fairly smoothly.....but that's around here....not there.

This is how we do all service upgrades, always a coordination nightmare, but homeowners only lose power for 6-8 hours.

 

[kwired]

You are going to get different answer depending on where you are, what your AHJ rules may be and what POCO policies may be.

Worst cases you may even need a temporary service approved and energized that you can somehow easily transfer to/from to ensure you have no long duration outage.

Some places they just don't seem to realize that some of us are professionals and that we do know what we are doing:roll:

Any POCO that leaves you hanging for days .... is just ridiculous but I guess it happens, never around here. At very least that is one cash register (meter) that is not able to gain any revenue when it is down:happysad:

 

[K8MHZ]

This is how we do all service upgrades, always a coordination nightmare, but homeowners only lose power for 6-8 hours.

Same here, but unless the POCO is busy with storm damage, things usually go pretty smooth.

 

[growler]

It seems that if I get the power turned off in the morning and schedule the inspection the next day they will be without power all night..

I have never left the power off overnight but I guess it could happen.

You would need to state your location for anyone to help with the local rules and regulations.

I suggest that you talk to both power company and the inspection department to see what your options are and then plan the job.

 

[GerryB]

I am doing an electrical service on a house..My question is What is the best way to perform this? The homeowners are living in the home..

I realize we need to get a permit, then get power company to disconnect power, then call for inspection.. then get power turned back on..This is a lot of down time for the home owner..

It seems that if I get the power turned off in the morning and schedule the inspection the next day they will be without power all night..

Is there an easier or better way to perform this..

Thanks in Advance..

Is this your first service? If so just call the POCO and find out if they allow cut and reconnect. Here in Ct they all allow that as far as I know for E1 electricians. They also have approved bugs or split bolts they want you to use and meter sockets. Then be prepared to cut it hot and reconnect it. Turn off the breaker and pull the meter before you cut it. (I've been shocked by not pulling the meter). Be careful how the wire swings when you cut it. Aluminum siding:jawdrop: I have high voltage gloves but I don't always use them. Just be comfortable on the ladder and obviously not grounded somehow. Cut the hots first then the neutral, reconnect the neutral first then the hots. I would say you can't leave them in the dark overnight. If need be do the grounding ahead of time but you should be able to restore power the same day. Stay safe!

 

[FionaZuppa]

homeowners leave for work?? if not, give them movie tickets for like 3 movies.

 

[Barbqranch]

Is it so terrible to be without power overnight? Every couple of years our local poco gives us a chance to practice for that (mostly due to wind damage).

 

[keith gigabyte]

service rewire

service rewire

Allright.. heres how I used to do it for 15 years. remove all straps on existing cable. If possible pull meter and Carefully move meter base over. move weater head over and temporaily secure weatherhead and cable. with meter removed maintain load side seu for later reuse. install new panelboard, grounding etc. Back outside..install new entrance cable and meter base. Terminate new seu to main breaker. take old saved seu still terminated to load side of old meter base..and back feed a large branch circuit breaker..for 100 amp i usually use a 60..because the old service was usually a 60. ( this is temporary). Turn off main label as potential back feed. Now you have power and new cable where you need it.

Power company is familiar with this method around here. call inspector..have a good relationship with your guy and give him advance notice often he will come out on his way back to office/home at end of day and give you the green light and call poco.

once poco comes out they tie in new entrance cable cut out old cable and go in house turn off back fed breaker you marked and turn on main..voila power on..
you come out next day and remove all temporary/ old wiring

But much easier and faster way....if poco allows it..you cut near weatherhead on their side hot ..remember their triplex is usally acsr neutral...
tear all old "stuff" out and install new. tie back in with proper split bolts. Have your inspector come out for inspection...poco will come out later and remove split bots and install hypress connectors.

I know some of this violates code, but until you have a workign relationship with inspectors and poco its about the best..my experience has beeen once you establish yourself with poco and inspectors, many times poco will disconnect and reconnect you without inspection at the time but do expect it done in a timely fashion. this has been quite helpful with underground services where I cannot disconnect myself.

 

[DrSparks]

Just do what I do. I install the new service equipment next to the old and use the old panel as a junction box. This customer was without power for 10 minutes.

 

[junkhound]

Friendly neighbors? Temperate climate?

Simply run a few extension cords over to the neighbors house for the fridge, entertainment, etc. and a few table lights, good to go.

Not so good if AC or electric stove or WH needed though.

 

[jaylectricity]

1: Call POCO for utility authorization number. Have reasons for upgrade (adding pool, hot tub, a/c, second floor, etc) ready
2: Pull permit
3: Turn off each breaker individually (Or unscrew fuses if that's what they have)
4: Turn off main breaker
5: Pull meter
6: Cut service drop conductors (grounded conductor first) carefully taping each one before you let go of it, and bend it up and out of the way of the next cut
7: Pull off outside service conductors, meter, etc (I don't do anything inside until I have the outside all set, in case I have to reconnect and come back the next day. You shouldn't have to, but if it's your first one it's something to consider having them go without power for five hours each day instead of 7-10 hours in one day. Unless you have an apprentice who knows what he's doing.
8: Install new riser (or SE) and meter socket
9: Remove cable(s) from between meter and circuit panel to widen hole in house and install new cable
10: Replace panel and terminate all cables and other wires to breakers or main lugs
11: Install whatever grounding electrodes and grounding electrode conductors you are doing. (Two ground rods, usually)
12: Reattach service drop to your new service conductors
13: Install meter in new meter socket
14: Turn main breaker back on, then each individual branch circuit breaker
15: Call for inspection
16: Collect money

 

[FREEBALL]

Years back I did services for row homes in York pa, a lot of contractors would backfeed the load side of the meter until inspection and the cut in card was sent in. I did not like this due to children in the area so I started just cutting the service at the head and doing the entire job in one day. I used a generator for all that needed to be used to work and also plug in their refer. safer that way and you don't need to come back to remove the old service equipment.

be safe

 

[FREEBALL]

.facebook_403516958

heres a job I did about a year ago not pretty at current but worked

 

[FREEBALL]

http://postimg.org/image/kl19q5ifv/

sorry having trouble with the URL thing but this is a project I just did volunteer for a farming educational center in Pa.

jeff

 

[FREEBALL]

old service was moved aside and all rigid conduit was fitted and placed beside it I will post finish product next

 

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