Hey Sparkles - Part II

[rivermobster]

Is there anyway to get this off? Or do I have to wait for Edison?

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

"Sparkles" huh

Sawzall, cutoff wheel, torch

 

[SoCalDave]

I gotta ask why you want it off?
I think it's a felony to tamper with the meter seal as well.

 

[Taboma]

Is there anyway to get this off? Or do I have to wait for Edison?

View attachment 1505507

Never opened one like that, not what we have in San Diego, but it's referred to as a Barrel Lock and I wouldn't be surprised if you could find a youtube video on how to pick or remove one, but probably not without damaging it.

 

[rivermobster]

I gotta ask why you want it off?
I think it's a felony to tamper with the meter seal as well.

Need to replace the main breaker. I'm not touching THAT one, with the meter still hooked up!

 

[lbhsbz]

Need to replace the main breaker. I'm not touching THAT one, with the meter still hooked up!

pussy

 

[Gramps]

angle grinder and beg for forgiveness

 

[hallett21]

Call Edison and tell them you need to make an emergency repair to your panel. They’ll remove the meter lock and come back in a week to relock it.

 

[SCHIADATROUBLE]

What @hallett21 said. Also if you’re plan is to remove the lock and pull the smart meter, Edison will know when the smart meter and been disconnected and can send someone to check it out. Not worth tampering with. They are happy to unlock if you call them and ask.

 

[rivermobster]

Call Edison and tell them you need to make an emergency repair to your panel. They’ll remove the meter lock and come back in a week to relock it.

Done.

pussy

You know where I live. Come on over!

 

[MPHSystems]

Call Edison. Though, they are going to want a permit if you are doing a panel change. Also, you can buy a key for a few hundred bucks.

I call ahead and if it’s still there when I get there I use a 4” cutoff wheel on my angle grinder. That’s why they call me sparkles.

 

[SoCalDave]

I recently looked at a service at a commercial yard across the street from my residence as the new owner (over a year now) had told me the previous owner had the power shut off almost a year ago. I told him something is going on as his outdoor lighting was still working. An older service so I pulled the panel just under the meter and someone at sometime had installed 12 GA jumpers across the feeds bypassing the meter. Looked like it had been like this for years as the previous tenant was there since the mid 70's. New owner had me clip the jumpers out and had SCE turn the power back on in his name.

 

[welldigger00]

Take a ratchet strap and cinch it up tight. Then take the other end and tie it off to yore trailer hitch on yore pickup, then dump her in low, and punch the gas. Have yore olady video it, and post it up on RDP.

 

[rivermobster]

Take a ratchet strap and cinch it up tight. Then take the other end and tie it off to yore trailer hitch on yore pickup, then dump her in low, and punch the gas. Have yore olady video it, and post it up on RDP.

Long Beach is probably on his way over right now, to perform this exact procedure.

 

[lbhsbz]

Long Beach is probably on his way over right now, to perform this exact procedure.

Nope...waiting on Pizza to get here for me and the kid. If you need a truck capable of the task as described, I have 2 you can choose from

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

Take a ratchet strap and cinch it up tight. Then take the other end and tie it off to yore trailer hitch on yore pickup, then dump her in low, and punch the gas. Have yore olady video it, and post it up on RDP.

He owns a Ford it would probably bend the frame

 

[lbhsbz]

He owns a Ford it would probably bend the frame

That's why I offered a GM or a Toyota.

 

[oldman]

Its a barrel lock key, and I've seen all kinds of creative tools used that didn't involve cutting it off,

The tool that never fails is a lock ring puller. It lock on the the barrel and pulls the guts out like a gear puller only by holding the outside.

 

[oldman]

 

[monkeyswrench]

Such a let down...saw "Sparkles" in the title....translated to "Stripper Glitter", or at worst, anti-sieze.
Nope, a thread about not wanting to change a breaker hot. Wuss!
It's just like playing Operation, just a louder buzzer. No guts, no glory!

 

[welldigger00]

He owns a Ford it would probably bend the frame

 

[SoCalDave]

To be perfectly honest if the old main is off and there is no load there will be no sparks to deal with. Just use the precautionary PPE equipment and it should be a piece of cake.

 

[Caydens Cat]

Classic RDP style in the flip fops

 

[SoCalDave]

Classic RDP style in the flip fops

Which through you off from the sparky in the gloove...you guys are slipping...

 

[rivermobster]

These fuckers from Edison sure take their time on these service calls!

 

[SCHIADATROUBLE]

You started this thread around 3:30 and it’s not even 7:30. It’s Mother’s Day and Sunday how many people did you expect Edison to have staffed to run out and unlock that meter ring as their top priority? lol

 

[4Waters]

Never had a problem throwing the main, just shut off all major loads like A/C, pool pump..... and wait for the fridge to turn off or unplug it and flip it. Pulling a meter can go bed real quick

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

You started this thread around 3:30 and it’s not even 7:30. It’s Mother’s Day and Sunday how many people did you expect Edison to have staffed to run out and unlock that meter ring as their top priority? lol

They should have been there before he even called damn it!

 

[oldman]

You started this thread around 3:30 and it’s not even 7:30. It’s Mother’s Day and Sunday how many people did you expect Edison to have staffed to run out and unlock that meter ring as their top priority? lol

Probably 4 guys covering a huge area, and at 3:30 if they weren't still out working they would have to call a guy out.

 

[HTTP404]

Probably 4 guys covering a huge area, and at 3:30 if they weren't still out working they would have to call a guy out.

Some gravy OT right there.

 

[oldman]

Some gravy OT right there.

DT 2 hr min. for the call out, unless they were already out But still DT. and Sat/Sun is a normal day until its after hrs.

And make sure you tell them it's an emergency and you have no lights, with an electrician standing by. Trust me.

 

[monkeyswrench]

To be honest, when my main shit the bed at the river, I figured the Mohave Electric people were going to take forever and charge a bunch. So, I treated those wires like plutonium, loosened the sets and gently wiggled the thing loose...while sweating like a pig, both scared and 110 degrees. Put the new one in the same way.

Later, I found out that if I'd called it in as a home with minors, elderly or ill, they'd rush out, for free, because it's a health danger in high or low temps... oh well, it was a learning experience. The stutter cleared in a day or two.

 

[oldman]

To be honest, when my main shit the bed at the river, I figured the Mohave Electric people were going to take forever and charge a bunch. So, I treated those wires like plutonium, loosened the sets and gently wiggled the thing loose...while sweating like a pig, both scared and 110 degrees. Put the new one in the same way.

Later, I found out that if I'd called it in as a home with minors, elderly or ill, they'd rush out, for free, because it's a health danger in high or low temps... oh well, it was a learning experience. The stutter cleared in a day or two.

I can see that in Havasu with extreme temps.

 

[rivermobster]

You started this thread around 3:30 and it’s not even 7:30. It’s Mother’s Day and Sunday how many people did you expect Edison to have staffed to run out and unlock that meter ring as their top priority? lol

I told em my panel was on fire. WTF!

 

[rivermobster]

DT 2 hr min. for the call out, unless they were already out But still DT. and Sat/Sun is a normal day until its after hrs.

And make sure you tell them it's an emergency and you have no lights, with an electrician standing by. Trust me.

That's pretty much exactly what I said.

Then I remembered a bit ago, one of my website clients is a lineman and lives by me!

Problem solved.

 

[wzuber]

pussy

Right?
just toast a big fatty, chill out, put on some latex gloves for added safety and some worn out flip flops and just getter done. NBD

I used to know a couple elec. Contractors that had the keys for those. Came in real handy for weekend panel swaps. They've all retired and moved out of state now though.

 

[Echo Lodge]

A few years back I wanted to run a 220 circuit to my garage for an EV. I called SCE and asked if they could remove the meter. I told them years ago when they approved my roof top solar they never put a meter lock back on. They told me I could remove the meter myself and there would not be a problem. I removed the meter for a few hours and reinstalled. No issues.

On a separate note... When my wife was pregnant with our first child some 28 years ago, you would get a shock when you touch the shower handle. I called Edison and told them that my pregnant wife was getting shocked in our shower. They came out the next day and replaced the run from the pole to my house to fix the problem.

 

[Melloyellovector]

You’re changing the main breaker, fuckin pull breaker and install new. Your makin this way more complicated than it needs to be. Hell if you removed the barrel lock, you think pulling the meter is safer then pulling the breaker?
amateurs

 

[wishiknew]

"Sparkles" huh

Sawzall, cutoff wheel, torch

sawzall wont cut it. torch will melt the plastic meter a piece of sheet metal by the meter and grinder small cuts only way

 

[oldman]

You’re changing the main breaker, fuckin pull breaker and install new. Your makin this way more complicated than it needs to be. Hell if you removed the barrel lock, you think pulling the meter is safer then pulling the breaker?
amateurs

Other than the leads from the meter are still hot, you pull the meter and its all ded.. unless you know some magic?

Or are you afraid of pulling the meter?

I've seen plenty of homeowners cause more problems getting over their heads. If you have the new breaker, the TM will probably replace it for you if they are not busy.

 

[hallett21]

You’re changing the main breaker, fuckin pull breaker and install new. Your makin this way more complicated than it needs to be. Hell if you removed the barrel lock, you think pulling the meter is safer then pulling the breaker?
amateurs

I mean in litterally every way pulling the meter is safer than changing a 200 or 400amp main breaker live that’s bolted down with 2/0+ aluminum conductors fed into it lol.

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

sawzall wont cut it. torch will melt the plastic meter a piece of sheet metal by the meter and grinder small cuts only way

If you couldn't get that off with a sawzall you're not very good at doing bad things

 

[oldman]

If you couldn't get that off with a sawzall you're not very good at doing bad things

4" grinder is cleaner

 

[wishiknew]

To be honest, when my main shit the bed at the river, I figured the Mohave Electric people were going to take forever and charge a bunch. So, I treated those wires like plutonium, loosened the sets and gently wiggled the thing loose...while sweating like a pig, both scared and 110 degrees. Put the new one in the same way.

Later, I found out that if I'd called it in as a home with minors, elderly or ill, they'd rush out, for free, because it's a health danger in high or low temps... oh well, it was a learning experience. The stutter cleared in a day or two.

i tryed this once and one of the wire hit the back of the bar that the breaker hooks on whole street went out and probly at least 4 edison trucks were there 10 minutes after that had to eat a little crow with them but at least they let me finnish changing the breaker

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

4" grinder is cleaner

Agreed. But a sawzall would still work. And so would a torch. Heck you could even drill out the lock. Where there's a will there's a way.

 

[wishiknew]

If you couldn't get that off with a sawzall you're not very good at doing bad things

ring is hardened steel

 

[oldman]

ring is hardened steel

No it isn't

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

ring is hardened steel

Actually im pretty sure they are stainless.

 

[oldman]

Agreed. But a sawzall would still work. And so would a torch. Heck you could even drill out the lock. Where there's a will there's a way.

Drilling the barrel is a pain in the ass it has a spring and ball bearing inside of it, when you drill it makes the release mechanism that much harder to get apart.


The best option is use a specialized puller, Customers think they are screwing the utility by super gluing the hole, we have a puller that locks on the the small lip of the barrel and sucks the guts out, they use it when they won't unlock.

 

[WYRD]

Done.




You know where I live. Come on over!

Bird on a wire....