Do I have to have an electrician

[William.Deans]

Greetings,

What are they going to do other than tell you the seal is broken?

Thanks, William

[William.Deans]

Greetings,

Really? How are they going to prove in court that someone else didn't remove the seal? I could walk down the street and fill a fish jar with them.

William

[Matt]

Really? How are they going to prove in court that someone else didn't remove the seal? I could walk down the street and fill a fish jar with

them.

They don't have to prove it.

When the meter reader finds the seal gone, he writes it down, you get the bill.

Where I live it's $250.

You dont pay the bill, you don't get the lights.

End of story.

[William.Deans]

Greetings,

The person with electric in their name gets the bill or the owner? I normally don't put electric in my name for rental properties. If what you say about billing $250 is true I am surprised people don't do it instead of throwing a rock trough the window? Why did no one suggest it to the guy who has the neighbor's dog using his yard? There must be some way to fight the charge. What is the $250 for? It certainly isn't for the cost of the tag. I wasn't aware utilties could charge punishment fees? Am I allowed as a business to charge punishment fees to my tenants? Could I place a red button on a pedestal and tell them not to press it or I am charging $250 to "reset the button?" If so I am installing some red buttons right away!

William

[Matt]

The person with electric in their name gets the bill or the owner? I normally don't ..........the button? If so I am installing some red buttons right away! "

Suggestion: Go cut off the seal - see what happens.

[Amun]

Legal answer :::: POSSIBLY You should at least be looking for a permit. Chances are popping out exterior walls is going to draw someone's attention.

As long as you do everything to code, and get the proper permits and inspections you can certainly work on your own house without an electrician. But if you are changing nothing as far as the power/wires go, just replacing the house around it, you may not even need a permit.

.....Or you "could" just pull the meter to cut the power, and work quick.

AMUN

[sleepdog]

It is illegal in most places for anyone other than a licensed electrician or power co. employee to pull the meter. If you want it pulled for some reason contact the power co. and have them send out someone to do it or coordinate resealing it with your electrician. Ask them how much $$$ first to reseal. $200 or less would be my guess.

Also consider the following option: install a piece of drywall on either side of the conduit. It will make a drywall seam from floor to ceiling around the conduit. How good are you at taping butt joints? Just cut the paper off the drywall about one inch on either side of the seam to avoid the "bump".

Spackle, tape, spackle... enjoy.

[On My Way]

".....Or you "could" just pull the meter to cut the power, and work quick. "

Yeah and how do you explain the broken seal at the meter base when they come out and read it? Also having live buss bars behind the meter exposed is not a good idea

[chastain]

I'm replacing the exterior wall where the main electric power comes into my house. The circuit breaker box is immediately behind it (electric meter on outside). I can remove the old wall board, but havent figured out how to work around the conduit going through the wall. Must I get an electrician to disconnect the electric power to my house while I work this area.

[Amun]

Still safer than having a live panel hanging in the air.

I would lay odds that even if a seal was missing, few meter readers would even notice. Especially in a house without a wall

AMUN

[jstp]

Why not just cut a slice from the side (height of slice is diameter of conduit), then just slide in the drywall from the side, and patch in the slice?

[Bob]

They will also put a cover, and maybe a seal over the meter hole until they restore service.

another Bob

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Problem with that is getting the meter seal back in place. Power companies get fussy about that stuff.

[zxcvbob]

You call the power company before you break the seal and tell them you need to pull the meter for a few hours. They will come put a new seal on it when you are done.

-Bob

[RBM]

To do what you are describing, you need to kill the power completely, and pulling the meter isn't sufficient. The meter pan is screwed to the existing siding and the box must be opened to remove the screws. If you just try to pry the box off, those screws may contact the live jaws inside. The service needs to be disconnected at the drop,(overhead wires). Permits, electricians, utility companies, meter seals and the like all has to do with what you know and where you live... just be safe

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Depends on the power company. There are legal ramifications as it is their property. If you have a decrease in use, they will probably accuse you of theft also.

[chastain]

[Joey]

Don't cut the seal yourself. You can be held liable in court if theft is suspected. What I suggest is that you stop and talk with one of the crews on the local electrical trucks when you see one in your area. Tell them what you're wanting to do and ask if they will disconnect it for you temporarly and then connect it back. In my area they will do this at no cost...but make sure you start the work in the morning because if you don't have it finished by the time they get off work you'll be without power till the next day. IF they agree to do this for you, you won't need a permit. Before I get a million replys that someone doesn't believe this or it might be illegal, that's the way it goes here. Of course, if you didn't talk or act like you know what you were doing once they disconnect the power, they would probably be hesistent to do that for you. Know for sure and act like you do when you talk with the electrical crew and I'd bet they would help you out.

J

snipped-for-privacy@houst> I'm replacing the exterior wall where the main electric power comes

[Doug Miller]

NO. You call the power company and have them drop power at the *pole*. If all you do is pull the meter, there are (as noted above by another poster) still live bus bars in the meter enclosure. NOT a good idea.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Beats me, but they have a lot more lawyers on staff trying to justify their jobs than I do. I won't even try to play their games.