Exposed Outdoor Main Breaker problems

[clare]

At one time it was quite common and I remember many buldings with external shutoffs,and the meters inside. The meter was often quite some distance from where the power entered the building - often right at the distribution panel/fuse box. I even remember seeing the disconnect mounted on the power pole next to the building, with the power coming down the pole to the disconnect, then down from there and entering the building underground - no rack attached to the building to connect the power wires to.

The meter reader had to enter the building to read the meter.

[gfretwell]

Yeah that is the trick I was talking about.

[trader_4]

Oh, I get it now. I'm running a bit slow this AM I guess....

[micky]

That's what they do with elevators, I think

[micky]

Is there a cover that has to be opened. A cheap switch on teh cover, a normally closed switch, that makes the burglar alarm beep. They will usually be able to do that even when they're not armed. And someone with a baseball bat who can get out there quick.

[micky]

But todays' smart meters are too smart to let that happen.

When there's a fire, like some squid, they change to the color and pattern of brick or cinder block, so no one can find them.

[Tekkie®]

trader_4 posted for all of us...

That can be done but we had two FF's that were sent to the ER - one for thermal burns to the face and the other for deafness. The result of an arc flash of pulling the meter at a convenience store where there was a fault in the electrical service.

I recommend the municipality dump this disconnect idea and make Knox boxes mandatory. Less damage with and faster than forcing entry.