Securing a power pedestal

[bugnout]

Just built a new house and garage. The power company installed a 200 amp power pedestal with meter near my driveway instead of mounting it on the house. Really didn't want it installed this way, but the only way I could keep the meter on the house is if I elected overhead wires instead of a buried service.

The meter pedestal sits about 30 feet from the house. It has a flip up access panel that hides a 200 amp circuit breaker and a power outlet. Closing the access panel protects the breaker and outlet from the elements, but there is space from below that is still open at the bottom. I think someone could use a stick to open the breaker. The access panel has a hole through the corners of the cover on each side that I could padlock or use zip ties on.

I'm not comfortable with this thing sitting out in the yard as anyone could shut the power off to the house. I plan to hide the pedestal with trees, but want some way to secure it. Right now I'm leaning towards zip tieing the cover with secure zip ties. That way if fire or line maintenance needed to get into it, they could, but curious kids would have to work at it to get in to the panel.

Might still need to put a guard on the open bottom to keep someone from using a stick. Any other ideas?

 

[Steevo]

30 feet from the house, and how far from the road, sidewalk, driveway, etc?

Maybe build a little structure over it like a well house?

 

[ishiboo]

I added a disconnect on the outside of the house. The cover itself is locked, and I used a QO handle padlock kit to padlock the breaker inside as well.

I would do both with a lock, and cover that open gap. If the fire department has to get to it, they have bolt cutters which will make quick work of the padlock.

 

[bugnout]

30 feet from the house, and how far from the road, sidewalk, driveway, etc?

Maybe build a little structure over it like a well house?

I considered it. Thought about buying one of those fake rocks as well. The pedestal is about 5 ft tall and inches from the property line, so not sure my neighbor wants to see a yard windmill constructed over it. I'm planning on put up some evergreens around it to hide it.

I added a disconnect on the outside of the house. The cover itself is locked, and I used a QO handle padlock kit to padlock the breaker inside as well.

I would do both with a lock, and cover that open gap. If the fire department has to get to it, they have bolt cutters which will make quick work of the padlock.

good point, they have lots of cool tools, nothing I could do would keep the Fire department out of it.

 

[larry4406]

Build a detached garage around it.

 

[ishiboo]

I considered it. Thought about buying one of those fake rocks as well. The pedestal is about 5 ft tall and inches from the property line, so not sure my neighbor wants to see a yard windmill constructed over it. I'm planning on put up some evergreens around it to hide it.



good point, they have lots of cool tools, nothing I could do would keep the Fire department out of it.

Yeah... even with all the cool tools I don't want to hinder them in an emergency, but most houses do not have disconnects, they either pull the meter or have the electric company do so, so it's safer if anything

Plus, a two small padlocks can be cut with their bolt cutter in about half a second.

 

[offroadsteve]

I added a disconnect on the outside of the house. The cover itself is locked, and I used a QO handle padlock kit to padlock the breaker inside as well.

I would do both with a lock, and cover that open gap. If the fire department has to get to it, they have bolt cutters which will make quick work of the padlock.

^This is what I would do. That being said my main disconnect is on the side of my house, compleatly exposed and unlocked...

Regarding the fire department, my parents had a house fire about 10 years ago, and the FD just yanked the meter right out of its socket. That house didn't have an outdoor main disconnect, so I don't know what their preference would be.