Exposed Outdoor Main Breaker problems

Jerry.Tan · 2014-12-15T10:20:11+00:00

In my area, all commercial buildings must have an exterior MAIN breaker, and it can not be locked. This is so the fire department can shot off the power quickly if there is a fire or other disaster. While that makes sense, it causes another problem. It seems there are some idiots in town that like to go around shutting off the breakers. One local bar gets their power shut off almost weekly, which not only shuts off all the lights, but also all the electronics, which include all the video games, the ATM machine, the tv sets, the juke box, and more. Plus the refrigeration units. Sonme of these devices need to be completely rebooted, and if there's a pizza in the pizza oven it's hard to get it cooked properly after a power outage. I've heard of other businesses suffering from this too. Fortunately, someone got caught doing it, and they were arrested. But there are more than one person, because it still happens. The bar owner inquired with both an electrician and the fire department, and was told they can not lock the breaker in any way. While I'm not connected to any of these businesses, I am aware of the problem, and know the owner of that bar. He says it's costing him money everytime the power goes off, because it can take an hour to get some of the stuff working again, and he has to pay overtime to his employees, and loses sales, has ruined pizzas, and shuts down the credit card machine, which is a chore to get working again, and more.... Isn't there something that can be done? Why cant the Fire Dept install their own lock, and give the owner a key? I decided to post this, to see if other communities have any sort of solution. I suggested the bar put a security camera above the breaker, with a Battery backup on the camera. The owner liked the idea, but said that would cost money to install, and someone would probably break the camera.

Dec 15, 2014 26 Replies

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clare 11 years ago

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.

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gfretwell 11 years ago

Yeah that is the trick I was talking about.

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trader_4 11 years ago

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

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micky 11 years ago

That's what they do with elevators, I think

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micky 11 years ago

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.

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micky 11 years ago

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.

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TekkieÃÂ® 11 years ago

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.

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