Utility company lock?

[Richard Moore]

Had a foreclosure today. Water was locked off for non-payment but the agent managed to get the utility company to come out and turn it on, temporarily. Electricity seemed to be on but after some strange results and readings inside I then discovered that one leg/phase was dead in the service panel. The meter had this lock on it that I haven't seen before.

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Is this the sort of thing a utility company would stick on after cutting power? Would the utility company do soemthing as potentially damaging as only cutting power to one leg? The house had been winterized only a couple of weeks ago and the water heater breaker was off (with a note). If the breaker had been on before that but after the one phase was cut, could the elements at this 2007 WH be fried?

[Jeff Remas]

They normally lock out both legs, never one. too dangerous to do that. Something is wrong.

[Richard Moore]

They normally lock out both legs, never one. too dangerous to do that. Something is wrong.

Yeah, that was my thought. I did "sniff" the conductors at the weatherhead. Both live. There was nothing unusual in the panel itself, so the only place I could see there being a break would be at the meter.

I wonder if they actually disconnected both but one somehow got back in touch with the terminal?

[Richard Moore]

OK...I think I've answered some of my own questions via Google. The locking ring appears to be a Rhino Ring. http://www.inner-tite.com/rhinoringrelease.html And, they are sold to utility comapnies for meter security...

"The Rhino Ring can be an integral tool for electric utilities that are faced with incidences of meter tampering and theft of electricity by restricting attempts to remove the meter. Installation of the ring can also be an effective tool for collection departments wishing to lock-off the meter due to bad debt."

The questions remain about how or why one leg is still energized and possible damage to the water heater, but this does appear to be the utility company's doing.

[hausdok]

Look at the two foam-filled holes next to the meter. They'd probably pulled the meter and ran a couple of cables through that wall to power something; grow op maybe?

Power company knows it and retaliated.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Richard Moore]

Hmmm, good possibility Sherlock! The foam was pretty old and brittle (broke off a piece later on) so I'm not sure and it really doesn't answer the question about one leg being live (or one leg dead). This was a flip gone bad, both physically and financially, that has been empty for at least 6 months. But, at some point before that I would have to believe they had power to both legs.

I've e-mailed the client and agent recommending that they contact the utility company and report the one-leg-only power.

Thanks,

I'll get back to what is going to be a long report.

[charlieb]

In my market the utility company places plastic sleeves over the two prongs on the output side of the meter to turn power off. Perhaps Bubba only removed one cover.

[Richard Moore]

I had a call from the agent today. He had contacted Seattle Light as I had suggested and found out that they had, indeed, disconnected power some time ago. I have to believe that they wouldn't deliberately leave one leg live and so I suspect that, due to the small and tight meter base, one of the conductors had "sprung" back into contact with a terminal. Just a guess tho. Maybe a plastic sleeve came off as they re-inserted the meter. Or...it could be a Bubba. Evidently they are coming out tomorrow to restore power. I may or may not find out more.

One question remains...would/could a water heater get damaged this way? I'm fairly sure it's not good for electric motors, but would it harm elements?

[charlieb]

One question remains...would/could a water heater get damaged this way? I'm fairly sure it's not good for electric motors, but would it harm elements?

I don't believe so. The 240 circuit would not be completed so there would be no current to the elements.

[Jim Katen]

I had a call from the agent today. He had contacted Seattle Light as I had suggested and found out that they had, indeed, disconnected power some time ago. I have to believe that they wouldn't deliberately leave one leg live and so I suspect that, due to the small and tight meter base, one of the conductors had "sprung" back into contact with a terminal. Just a guess tho. Maybe a plastic sleeve came off as they re-inserted the meter. Or...it could be a Bubba. Evidently they are coming out tomorrow to restore power. I may or may not find out more.

One question remains...would/could a water heater get damaged this way? I'm fairly sure it's not good for electric motors, but would it harm elements?

I'm pretty sure that losing one leg of power won't harm any of the appliances or equipment.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Mr. Electric]

The first thing I see is the holes in the siding and it looks like there may even be one in the side of the meterbase that have been plugged. If it is a hole (and not just rust) the meterbase needs to be replaced. The locking ring is the Power Companies reaction when someone has tampered with the power! Recommend the customer get an electrician involved.

As far as the 240v vs. 120v question. Running 120v to a 240v appliance will not do anything to it. The only thing it would hurt is a motor load like the well pump. If you try to run it on 120v it will be damaged.