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Posted: 8/18/2026 4:17:13 PM EDT
[Last Edit: NAM][Edited]
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I have an outdoor power meter that has a main breaker on it. It's designed for a standard padlock, but it would be easy enough to grab the padlock and twist it, breaking the tab off. I guess you could do the same by cutting off the power company tamper tag and pulling the meter. That said...I'm looking for a decent lock that would keep the casual passerby out, while not making it easier for someone to use the lock itself as leverage. Style of meter base:  ETA: the goal is to lock the flap covering the main breakers. |
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Anything after the meter is on the homeowner, generally. As the OP said, the power company can still open the top half to do anything they need to do The power company probably doesn't care, but the fire department might. You may be required to have an emergency disconnect If that's not an issue you could bend a strap or angle iron to go across the front |
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Originally Posted By BB4XL: Better talk to the Power company first. That set up is fine as long as the meter tamper proof seal is intact and you lock only the breaker side. [utility guy for almost 4 decades] |
Liberals are a curious mix of communism and fascism, they want to destroy you but want to use your own money to do it.
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
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Originally Posted By scottr: Anything after the meter is on the homeowner, generally. As the OP said, the power company can still open the top half to do anything they need to do The power company probably doesn't care, but the fire department might. You may be required to have an emergency disconnect If that's not an issue you could bend a strap or angle iron to go across the front Fire departments will cut the meter seal and pull the meter just like the utility does. If the box is affected the utility will cut service at the pole and loop the drop. |
Liberals are a curious mix of communism and fascism, they want to destroy you but want to use your own money to do it.
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
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Originally Posted By fxntime: Fire departments will cut the meter seal and pull the meter just like the utility does. If the box is affected the utility will cut service at the pole and loop the drop. https://www.electricallicenserenewal.com/Electrical-Continuing-Education-Courses/NEC-Content.php?sectionID=847.0 |
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Originally Posted By scottr: That doesn't meet code... https://www.electricallicenserenewal.com/Electrical-Continuing-Education-Courses/NEC-Content.php?sectionID=847.0 Originally Posted By scottr: Originally Posted By fxntime: Fire departments will cut the meter seal and pull the meter just like the utility does. If the box is affected the utility will cut service at the pole and loop the drop. https://www.electricallicenserenewal.com/Electrical-Continuing-Education-Courses/NEC-Content.php?sectionID=847.0 I never saw a single one in almost 40 years unless it was on a trailer/manf house in a park or the customer had a generator. We gave out the meter boxes and I know we never stocked them at any time up to my retirement. |
Liberals are a curious mix of communism and fascism, they want to destroy you but want to use your own money to do it.
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
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Just put a small padlock on it, that will stop the casual passerby. The fire department will cut the lock in the event they need to. The small lock won’t give much leverage. You really can’t secure this very heavily because of the nature of the thin metal tab and the way the cover over the disconnect is made. |
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Originally Posted By McGarrett: You really can’t secure this very heavily because of the nature of the thin metal tab and the way the cover over the disconnect is made. And that makes sense. But ant idiot being able to walk up and kill my power kind of bugs me... ...but as mentioned earlier, any idiot could clip tge tamper seal and pull the meter, so maybe its a mostly moot point. |
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