On Sun, 09 May 2010 23:40:21 -0400, wrote:

On Sun, 9 May 2010 19:47:00 -0700 (PDT), Hat wrote:

I have installed CB sub-panels many a times with no problem because I
can disconnect the live wires at the main panel. In the old house I
am fixing, I need to replace the all-fuse MAIN panel with a new CB
panel. Do I need to contact the power company to disconnect the
juice, or is there another way of doing it? I do not want to mess
with the 240 volt supply because it may hurt a bit (i.e., kill me).
BTW: how do certified electricians go about disconnecting the live
wires before doing a similar job? Thanks

Each power company has it's own rules. If you don't have a permit, a
common dodge is to say you are replacing a defective main breaker and
you need to cut the seal. and pull the meter.
They may just say OK and come seal it later. Other POCOs want to read
the meter before you cut the seal and they may want to take it with
them. It really depend a lot on their local fraud experience.
It is a lot better to just pull the permit and have it inspected if
your building department will let you do it yourself.
Then you will have a record for your insurance company and selling the
house might go easier down the road.

Worst case, cut the seal, pull the meter, do the work and put the
meter back in. Call them and say some vandal cut your meter seal. I
doubt they would buy that.

I guess not too many vandals vandalize seals.

Once, when I didn't get around to paying my bill, my power was
disconnected. I rushed out and paid the bill, but then I wondered
when they would actually reconnect me. So there must have been a seal
that I cut; and I pulled out the meter, removed the plastic prong
covers, and put back the meter. And then made dinner. The guy came
an hour later and I told him someone else had come already. Later I
realized -- at least I think so -- that he was the only one doing my
area, and he knew no one else had come. But he hadn't said anything.
I suppose to himself he just smiled, or cursed me for being a liar.

Of course he probably knew I'd been disconnected for failure to pay,
and he had no reason to think I'd been messing with the breaker box,
but would he have cared if he'd thought that?