Pulling An Electric Meter

[x635 4,066]

I've seen ads in the various trade publications advertising a tool for forcefully pulling electric meters out. I assume this cuts electricity to the house.

My question is, does anyone around here practice this, or have this tool? Does this effectively cut electricty, and is it really safe to do?

I think it's a job best left to the utility.

[dadbo46 50]

I've seen ads in the various trade publications advertising a tool for forcefully  pulling electric meters out. I assume this cuts electricity to the house.

My question is, does anyone around here practice this, or have this tool? Does this effectively cut electricty, and is it really safe to do?

I think it's a job best left to the utility.

←

I agree....let Con Ed or NYSEG trained personnel perform this job.

[Guest]

Call ConEd/Central Hudson/NYSEG - your liable to either kill yourself, someone else, burn your house down, or knock out the power to the entire block!

[Guest]

I'd let the utility company do it. There are some vivid videos out that show what happens when a substantial load is disconnected by pulling a meter. Best you can do until Reddy Kilowatt shows up do is kill all the breakers you can find,

[yfd910 8]

Con Edison's meters are locked. Even if you had that tool, you'd have to unlock the meter first, which only they have the key to. Just turn off the main breaker, if you can safely, to get by until ConEd shows up. That tool is worthless around here.

[efd184 59]

i cant see any dept doing this with the amount of power going in through the main service. im going to assume that it is a s.o.g. to call con-ed right away to handle this kind of issue. a 200amp service will more then likely kill you and i dont think any officers from at least a career dept would place himself or any of his men in danger like that.

Edited March 30, 2007 by efd184

[tbendick 27]

Just a side note... Before you start touching the breakers, make sure you don't have any CO. Have had a few incidents in the city, with a eletrical fire and someone shutdowns the breakers causing an explosion.

[Guest]

While in college, my classmates and I where having a discussion about certain aspects of electricity, the professor closed the discussion by stating, in very broken english, "The electricity, if you don't respect it....it will get even with you."

Good article:

http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/a...onId=5&id=50165

Edited March 30, 2007 by FFD55

[Guest]

In addition to CO being present, don't forget about the possibility of Natural Gas being within the area.

[IzzyEng4 427]

FIREFIGHTERS DON'T PULL METERS!!!! WE THROW MAIN BREAKERS ONLY!!

- That is the rule I learned in Firefighter I and in house training many moons ago. Just like my previous post about the cat up the electrical pole, you don't try to cut power as a firefighter or bring your self near any potential danger. Just like CO, you can't see electricity until its too late. Even if you area a licensed electrician and area a firefighter operating as such, leave that to the power company.

Edited March 30, 2007 by IzzyEng4

[firecapt32 282]

There is no reason that any of us should be pulling a meter. hit the breaker(the main shut off) leave the rest to con ed

[Remember585 815]

Any of you remember or still use those pike pole-like things for moving downed wires? I remember one department near us that had them and I always thought to myself that it was a disaster waiting to happen. Luckily they got rid of them and to my knowledge nothing went bad.

[johnvv 20]

Any of you remember or still use those pike pole-like things for moving downed wires?  I remember one department near us that had them and I always thought to myself that it was a disaster waiting to happen.  Luckily they got rid of them and to my knowledge nothing went bad.

←

When Con Edison is requested to disconnect the electrical service to a building, they usually cut the service laterals at the pole before they enter the building. This is helpful to fire investigators because the service equipment is left intact, allowing better examination of the equipment as a possible fire cause.

[eckyphats 0]

we did this down in pg county maryland on a lot of fires, it was usually the job of the truck co or rescue squad. I dont think its a good idea, its not really done now much down there and I dont know anyone who does it up here

[DOC22 1]

One of our members, now retired, worked for NYSEG. If he was on scene of a worker, he and only he would pull the meter, otherwise we waited for the (NYSEG) crew to arrive.

[Guest]

Here is a link to info from the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety

http://www.nj.gov/dca/dfs/ffh1060x_ch01.pdf

[efd184 59]

Here is a link to info from the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety

http://www.nj.gov/dca/dfs/ffh1060x_ch01.pdf

←

good link

page 13 CLEARLY tells you NOT to pull the meter!

[firesleuth 0]

Something else to consider: If you don't already know the cause and origin of the fire you are fighting, it may prove to be electric in origin.

One cause of an electrical fire can be an energized neutral. Since pulling the meter has no effect on the neutral lead (it runs straight through the meter pan- uninterrupted) the building can still be energized even after the meter is pulled.

Wait for the power company to do their thing!! We all want go home after its over!

[efd184 59]

[attachmentid=2747]

Why would they do this?Who would give this order!

do we really need to cut the power like this?

Edited May 16, 2007 by efd184

[27east 19]

[attachmentid=2747]

Why would they do this?Who would give this order!

do we really need to cut the power like this?

←

dear God...wait for the utility!!!

S A F E T Y

[firemoose827 324]

Just a side note... Before you start touching the breakers, make sure you don't have any CO.  Have had a few incidents in the city, with a eletrical fire and someone shutdowns the breakers causing an explosion.

←

I was going to mention that, as well as the fact that some people gerry rig their electrical service to "Cheat" them and somehow by-pass the meter. It is dangerous to ever touch the meter at fires, leave it to the utility company. They can make sure the power is off by pulling the wire directly from the pole, its the only way to be sure. Than there is the "Hot Neutral" instance when the neutral becomes charged through contact with a bare hot wire. I have seen some videos at the academy when I took my investigator training and electrical c/o I and II. Its dangerous stuff to mess with.

Only do what you are Trained and/or Licensed to do.

Stay safe.

Edited May 17, 2007 by Jonesy368