Meter to meter extension cord

[linemanfrog]

I've heard that some companies have basically an extension cord that use to temporary feed a customer from the meter can of a neighbor in the case where the one service has a burnout out in the UG. They would pull the meter of the good customer and plug in a base that had wire running out from it and reset the meter at the good end. Then the other end of the "extension cord" would have an adapter base on it as well and they would disconnect the bad service in the meter can and isolate it and then plug the adapter into the meter socket and reset that meter, in essence a meter can to meter can extension cord. Do any of your companies use such a device, and if so what are your thoughts on it, what limitations, etc etc.

Thanks.

By the way we already have power temps (servisavors) made by the VON corp. that we usually use to give the customers power temporarily, but at times have more burnouts than we have power temps. Due to the cost of adding more of these units, the company may not be in a position to purchase more of them at this time and I am just looking at different ideas to get us by when we are in a bind.

[lewy]

We install temp services when ever we have a bad U.G. residential service. We have source and load meter base adapters that we connect to our temp services. They come in I believe 25 foot lengths and can be joined together for longer runs. The source meter base adapter has a breaker on it, we also have 1 we can run up a pole if another house is not available. We also connect the neutral on the temp and will locate and repair the service as soon as possible.

[reppy007]

Here we only use temp bypasses,no plug....run the bypass through the knock-out plate on the meter can,to the line side meter jaws.....only on urd..........but once we ran one feeding a pole with a weatherhead,where the wire than fed underground to the meter.....we run thousands,thats just at one center....dont know how many system wide.

[loodvig]

We would cut it clear at the nearest manhole/handhole and tell the customer they need a electrician! Customer service at N.Grid was not our strong point!

[T-Man]

Years ago I have tapped off the neighbors service on an overhead service, but never tried that with a UG service. We used coreflo with service wire inside and made the connection in the pedestal and left the coreflo lay on the ground to the house. There were deciding factors, like never across a driveway. But we did string thru trees and then into coreflo to get across roads and drives. But lately with the threat of personal harm and law suits we limited the time coreflo was left waiting repairs. Now they were using EZ Restore carts which make a 240 volt feed out of a good single 120 volt source and good neutral. They are easier to set up and not as much to haul away later. Google EZ Restore carts I believe you can find them on the net. Great little tool. Ya need a pick up with a tommy lift and another guy to help set up tho.

[reppy007]

Not sure how that would work here....sure is a good idea....but some customers wouldnt like a cord going from their meter to their neighbors....sure the utility owns the meter but not the area between meters....Ive always liked it when a troubleman found a bad service and refered the order to me to run a temp bypass that was 200 or 300 feet from the transformer or pedestal to the meter.

[rob8210]

When I was with the utility some years ago, we had made up our own meterbase jumpers with 3/0 underground service wire. We were able to make extra when needed.

[lewy]

Not sure how that would work here....sure is a good idea....but some customers wouldnt like a cord going from their meter to their neighbors....sure the utility owns the meter but not the area between meters....Ive always liked it when a troubleman found a bad service and refered the order to me to run a temp bypass that was 200 or 300 feet from the transformer or pedestal to the meter.

In over 20 years never been an issue, they realize it could be reverse. You mentioned " Here we only use temp bypasses,no plug....run the bypass through the knock-out plate on the meter can,to the line side meter jaws.....only on urd" seems like more work as you would also have to disconnect the other service or you would be energizing the bad service. With the load side meter base adapter the line side is isolated. You just have yo disconnect the bad service in the transformer then locate and repair. It takes a little longer for us in the winter to expose the bad services due to frost.

[Rob]

We use both here. Our first option would be to install an Auto-Transformer (servisaver). If that's not an option, such as both hot legs being out, then we'd run a temp if it were off hours.

HDW makes a radar unit called " EZ RESTORE" for trouble shooting RUD area's. It's very similiar to their EZ Thump.

[Pootnaigle]

Umm n if you use one of these extention cords just who foots the bill for kwh useage?

[rob8210]

As long as a fella took the time to hook it up right, then each customer pays for his own bill.

[Orgnizdlbr]

As long as a fella took the time to hook it up right, then each customer pays for his own bill.


Yup...........

[T-Man]

Umm n if you use one of these extention cords just who foots the bill for kwh useage?

You make the tap ahead of the meter at the good source, and if it matters disconnect the bad service at the hurting customer and make the temp hot connection on the source side of that Meter. Not sure you need to do that if a crew gets in ther right away and makes permanent repairs. You need to be sure the load of the two customers is not too great or you'll burn up connections in the good meter socket or the pedestal feeding it.

[PHASE2PHASE]

I've heard that some companies have basically an extension cord that use to temporary feed a customer from the meter can of a neighbor in the case where the one service has a burnout out in the UG. They would pull the meter of the good customer and plug in a base that had wire running out from it and reset the meter at the good end. Then the other end of the "extension cord" would have an adapter base on it as well and they would disconnect the bad service in the meter can and isolate it and then plug the adapter into the meter socket and reset that meter, in essence a meter can to meter can extension cord. Do any of your companies use such a device, and if so what are your thoughts on it, what limitations, etc etc.



We call them "Cheater Bases" and have used them at Florida Power/Progress Energy/ Duke for many years.