# Who's a cowboy?



## JamesNLA (Jun 2, 2006)

> I'm trying to understand this. You mean to tell me that the Power Company (Poco for short), comes out to deenergize the service conductors before you do the upgrade?


Exactly. When I say the term "Cowboy" that means handling the service conductors while they are energized. Removing one at a time, taping off each line, and proceeding with the removal/installation of the new panel. Than reconnecting those energized lines back to the new panel. All this being done without the POCO or city knowing. Bootlegging is just stealing power, meaning unmetered use. 

My initial post was asking....basically who handles these lines while they are live. Make sence?


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

Yes, thank you. I must be slow. LOL. 

Yes, I am a cowboy because it has been my experience to always tie-in hot.


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## MSSI (Mar 25, 2006)

yippie kiyay


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## RobertWilber (Mar 5, 2006)

YeeHa:cowboy: let 'er buck ...
actually, on rereading your clarification of "cowboy" I suppose not.
There is no reason to do that when I can just cut the taps


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## JamesNLA (Jun 2, 2006)

not when you need to relocate/reconnect the panel


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## mdcorreia (May 21, 2006)

JamesNLA said:


> Wondering how many just cowboy the service feeders instead of waiting
> around for POCO/Inspectors?
> 
> Had a prospective ask if we had to pull a permit to relocate his 200A panel.........:no:


Of course unless it is done somewhere in the southern hemisphere of US or the midle east or maybe in China!


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## mdcorreia (May 21, 2006)

thom said:


> Back when I did service changes, we would reconnect everything with split bolts, call for inspection, then the utility would replace the splices a few days later.
> 
> I don't know how you would do it without the utility or the city involved. The meter reader would certainly notice and turn you in.



Meter readers? Around here, they know their name and how to punch in the meter numbers and that is about it.
They only get the minimum wage and would not know the difference between a main disconnect switch and a gear box.


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## mdcorreia (May 21, 2006)

Sparky Joe said:


> When in CA we installed coppers jumpers in meter sockets all the time, neither Edison or DWP ever seemed to care.



I do it all the time. I connect temporary wires to the load side in the old meter base overnight and in the morning remove them, the inspector asks - How did you do a service so fast with the panel tied in and everything else in place since your power has been disconnected? I say - oh I am a really speed freak when it comes to electrical work!
The message is that I never had the power off for more than 1 hour or so while doing a service upgrade. The customers love it! I just explain to them that some people with certain sickness go to the hospital to get electrical shocks and pay for them, however, I get my at work for free!
ha ha ha and all is well they really like my original joke!


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

I'm not an officer of the law or anything, but to me that sounds like you're stealing energy from the power company. Last time I checked that is illegal. If the old meter does not fit the new meter pan then your poco should offer you a temporary adaptor. IMO, what you're doing now is very unprofessional.


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## MSSI (Mar 25, 2006)

mdcorreia said:


> Meter readers? Around here, they know their name and how to punch in the meter numbers and that is about it.
> They only get the minimum wage and would not know the difference between a main disconnect switch and a gear box.


We dont have meter readers anymore, havnt seen one in years. The digital meters in our area are read remotely. Oh and they know when its unplugged. i have seen service trucks within 15 minutes of pulling the meter. They usually just drive right by without so much as a wave if they see our trucks nearby. One time a peco guy stopped and asked if everything was ok after I pulled the meter and sent my help out in the truck for something..he must have thought I was the homeowner..


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## RobertWilber (Mar 5, 2006)

MSSI said:


> We dont have meter readers anymore, havnt seen one in years. The digital meters in our area are read remotely. Oh and they know when its unplugged. i have seen service trucks within 15 minutes of pulling the meter. They usually just drive right by without so much as a wave if they see our trucks nearby. One time a peco guy stopped and asked if everything was ok after I pulled the meter and sent my help out in the truck for something..he must have thought I was the homeowner..


hee hee


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## sparkysteve (Jan 27, 2006)

I've never had a problem feeding the new service with some SE cable from the load side of the existing meter. I build the new service next to the old one. Tie the homeruns into the new panel. Drill out and put connectors in both meter sockets and run the wire. Throw in a meter blank. Leave a WP hole closure for the PoCo in the new meter socket. Call the inspector, he calls the PoCo the swap it over.


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## RobertWilber (Mar 5, 2006)

sparkysteve said:


> I've never had a problem feeding the new service with some SE cable from the load side of the existing meter. I build the new service next to the old one. Tie the homeruns into the new panel. Drill out and put connectors in both meter sockets and run the wire. Throw in a meter blank. Leave a WP hole closure for the PoCo in the new meter socket. Call the inspector, he calls the PoCo the swap it over.


If you did that here, in twenty years there would still be two meter enclosures on the wall ....


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## MSSI (Mar 25, 2006)

RobertWilber said:


> If you did that here, in twenty years there would still be two meter enclosures on the wall ....


yeah...must be nice


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