wrote in message
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I have seen a guy slip a crochet hook in there, depress the spring end
of the wire and pull them right out.
It did mar the inside of the seal a little but if you were not sure
what you were looking at it would be very easy to overlook. The seal
could be snapped back together and be very secure.

I've done something similar, myself. Though, for repeated meter removal
such an approach makes obvious damage to the seal housing. Clipping
one leg of the seal and gently sliding it off(on) of the meter ring will allow
you to pull the meter multiple times if the situation calls for it. If someone
inspected the seal they would know it had been clipped, but most meter
readers only look for the obvious, if at all.

I yanked the seal off of my meter, once, and chucked it. I did not see
another seal on that meter for a couple of years and did not hear one word
of grief from PG&E. Hell, I disconnected my service at the weather head
and put a new roof over the top of it and never told PG&E about it until a
snow storm added enough weight to the drop to snap the messenger
(pinhole current leak through one hot leg melted the messenger part way
through at some point in time). The Lineman that came out for the repair
liked my "temporary connection".