And during service changes electricians always borrow some watts.
I find this humorous after all the hyperventilating, including from BrianJohn, about my using what are in fact well-insulated and safe pruning loppers to cut a #2 aluminum wire that was energized at 120 Volts.
Bob,
I am having a hard time believing that you don’t understand the danger that you took cutting a live wire with pruning sheers ...
Over the past 40 years and thousand or so service changes I have done I have never cut an energized service drop ...
Yep! There is much to be said about "experoence" but myself I think that "common sense" carries a lot of weight also.Well then, so much for speaking from experience, eh?!
I suppose that one would require some level of common sense before one could reconize danger. What do you think?
Surely, and that common-sense recognition of danger in conjunction with both overall and specific knowledge, experience and careful planning left Bob both absolutely and rightly certain he would be completely safe doing exactly as he did.
Bob, with the utmost of respect to you knowledge and ability I MUST once again point out that there was NOTHING safe about you procedure except the fact that you seem predisposed in proving that you were safe in your mind.It wasn't unsafe!
Here again you make reference to 120 volts as though you think that 120 volts is less dangerous that any other voltage. IT IS NOT THE VOLTAGE THAT KILLS, IT IS THE AMPERAGE THAT KILLS.I knew the cutters were insulated far beyond that necessary to protect me from 120 volts, and that I could not reach the hot wire. There was more than a foot of insulated handle between me and the 120 Volts. The insulation was more than 10 times the insulation on a meter lead that is rated for 1000 Volts.
I don’t believe that I would say a lot safer than lineman’s pliers as both are dangerous. The cutting of the energized service drop itself is dangerous unless you have the proper training in such matters no matter what tool is used.It was also a lot safer than a pair of linemans pliers with insulated handles because the separation distance was much greater.
The available current at any point of contact is the only thing that is relevant. It is the current flow that MUST be protected against. It is the lack of this knowledge that makes some of us laugh when we here you make this statement, “subject I would do it again and again because I KNOW it was and is safe.â€The bolted fault current of the transformer is irrelevant if the insulation far exceeds the voltage resistance of the material between the human. Even after all or your hyperventilating on the subject I would do it again and again because I KNOW it was and is safe.
Well my friend when someone is trying to show you the err of your ways I suppose that one way of convincing oneself that their actions was safe is to attack the character of those helping.You guys with your "I'm an electrician and therefore I'm holier than thou." attitude are acting like you are gods of electricity and everyone else is totally ignorant of how to keep themselves safe.
By simply removing the meter, dismounting the old meter pan and moving it out of the way one can then install a single receptacle on the load side of the old meter and then reinstall the meter and have current to use for a temporary service. Yes there is more to it than what I posted here but then again I am talking to someone who is already sold on the idea that using pruning sheers to cut a service drop is safe.Maybe BrainJohn who gave us the statement that "And during service changes electricians always borrow some watts." can give us a link to the equipment and parts that are POCO approved and UL "listed for the purpose" of tapping into unmetered hot service drops.
The question was, parts for tapping into unmetered hot service drops.By simply removing the meter, dismounting the old meter pan and moving it out of the way one can then install a single receptacle on the load side of the old meter and then reinstall the meter and have current to use for a temporary service. Yes there is more to it than what I posted here but then again I am talking to someone who is already sold on the idea that using pruning sheers to cut a service drop is safe.
Originally Posted by Bob NH said:Maybe BrainJohn who gave us the statement that "And during service changes electricians always borrow some watts." can give us a link to the equipment and parts that are POCO approved and UL "listed for the purpose" of tapping into unmetered hot service drops.
The question was, parts for tapping into unmetered hot service drops.
Rancher
As you can see the use of a unmetered tap was not mentioned. The quote from;And during service changes electricians always borrow some watts.
was an attempt to redirect the topic from the use of lawn equipment being used to cut a hot wire.can give us a link to the equipment and parts that are POCO approved and UL "listed for the purpose" of tapping into unmetered hot service drops.
It wasn't unsafe! I knew the cutters were insulated far beyond that necessary to protect me from 120 volts, and that I could not reach the hot wire. There was more than a foot of insulated handle between me and the 120 Volts.
How do you borrow some watts without an unmetered tap, you don't...you plug the meter back in, it continues to meter the power used.jwelectric said:What Brian said was;
BrianJohn said:And during service changes electricians always borrow some watts.
As you can see the use of a unmetered tap was not mentioned.
Which makes you the expert on changing energized service drops, do you even prune your own fruit trees?jwelectric said:Over the past 40 years and thousand or so service changes I have done I have never cut an energized service drop ...
This thread is like the Energizer Bunny, it keeps going and going!
Here again you make reference to 120 volts as though you think that 120 volts is less dangerous that any other voltage. IT IS NOT THE VOLTAGE THAT KILLS, IT IS THE AMPERAGE THAT KILLS.
The available current at any point of contact is the only thing that is relevant. It is the current flow that MUST be protected against.
Well my friend when someone is trying to show you the err of your ways I suppose that one way of convincing oneself that their actions was safe is to attack the character of those helping.
The word ignorant means, the lack of knowledge or training
Your comments show that you are ignorant of the safety issues involved in using pruning sheers to cut live wires.
Stupidity comes into play when shown the err of your actions you repeatedly defend your actions. You have carried ignorance far beyond the point of stupidity.
By simply removing the meter, dismounting the old meter pan and moving it out of the way one can then install a single receptacle on the load side of the old meter and then reinstall the meter and have current to use for a temporary service. Yes there is more to it than what I posted here but then again I am talking to someone who is already sold on the idea that using pruning sheers to cut a service drop is safe.
This thread is like the Energizer Bunny, it keeps going and going!
To Nowhere!
I believe BobNH to be a careful guy ... I'm sure he [knew] he was very safe in doing what he did ...
What you absolutely don't want on a DIY forum like this, is for future uneducated DIY Homeowner/Hacks reading this thread, is to think that it is OK to sever your service entrance cable with a pair of hedge clippers ...
This is awkward, but...
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