Professional opinions wanted

[Michael Larson]

Note: reposted in the appropriate thread for discussion.

What would you guys do with what I saw on yesterday's inspection?

The wires in question ran across the front walk and yard to the next door neighbors meter.

[Greg Fretwell]

Was the meter base still sealed? It may be something the PoCo is doing but I agree it looks pretty hinky. If you want to be the cop, call the PoCo

[Marc Benz]

I am sure that is a tempory feed until the oringal underground cable is repaired or replaced.

Merci,Marc

[tdietrich1]

I'd call someone, PoCo, Police, etc. Look dangerious to me, but then I've never been killed.

tom

[Michael Larson]

I found out it's been there for 3 weeks according the the next door neighbor.

I guess they'll get around to fixing the underground problem someday.

[klott]

Why do you think there is an underground problem? Maybe there is a little utility theft going on.

[Speedy Petey]

Nah, that's not theft. It's WAY too obvious and the wires are on the load side (bottom) of the meter.

That HAS to be temporary. No question about it.
It is scary and IMO should NOT have been done this way, but who knows.

[Pierre Belarge]

I find it hard to imagine that a utility company would have installed the conductors open in a fashion as seen in the pictures. If so, that is a real shame.

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by Pierre Belarge

I find it hard to imagine that a utility company would have installed the conductors open in a fashion as seen in the pictures. If so, that is a real shame.

But they did indeed.
The neighbor told me the power problem affected more than one house.

The house I inspected was an bank owned and empty.

I had warned the agent the day before to make sure the utilities were on.
She actually did it.
Trouble was that the plumbing leaked at most of the fixtures.

Leaky roof.
Leaky plumbing
HVAC not responding to controls.
Missing light fixtures
You get the idea.

Some of these REOs need a lot of work.

[Bruce A. King]

yes they do, some guy was on the news in CA tearing up the interior of his house and throwing pieces outside, the cops said nothing illegal about tearing up your own house, even if its a few days before it becomes a bank owned property. I can see a new law coming soon....

[gbeaumont]

Originally Posted by Pierre Belarge

I find it hard to imagine that a utility company would have installed the conductors open in a fashion as seen in the pictures. If so, that is a real shame.

Ditto, I have seen a lot of temporary power put in after natural disasters, but never done like that.

Regards

Gerry

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by gbeaumont

Ditto, I have seen a lot of temporary power put in after natural disasters, but never done like that.

Regards

Gerry

Well I decided to call the POCO today and report it. They recorded my concerns and asked for my contact information.
The person I talked to could not find a record of a trouble call for that address but that may be because it was for the address next door.

[Marc D. Shunk]

That is an Ekstrom fitting behind that meter (if you had a side view, you'd see the fitting is plugged in first and the meter is plugged into the fitting), designed specially to "borrow" from the neighbor's feed when your lateral burns up. The part is called a "temporary service adapter". The Power Company installs those, and they often lay the cable right on the grass. I don't like it either, but it is what it is.

http://www.brooksutility.com/catalog...ail.asp?ID=503

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by Marc D. Shunk

That is an Ekstrom fitting behind that meter (if you had a side view, you'd see the fitting is plugged in first and the meter is plugged into the fitting), designed specially to "borrow" from the neighbor's feed when your lateral burns up. The part is called a "temporary service adapter". The Power Company installs those, and they often lay the cable right on the grass. I don't like it either, but it is what it is.

http://www.brooksutility.com/catalog...ail.asp?ID=503

Thanks Mark,

The only side shot I have is from distance. Here is a crop from it.

[Marc D. Shunk]

Originally Posted by mlarson

The only side shot I have is from distance. Here is a crop from it.

Yeah, you've definitely got one of those adapters installed there. Nobody's stealing power there, but the POCO isn't really doing things the safest way they could.