Stealing Electricity

JackJack Regular
edited July 2010 in Man Cave
The power was cut off today. It can't be dealt with right now, no money, shit to do. The plastic tabs over the terminal contacts were removed. Power's back on but the digital meter still counts. No good. Theft of service. The meter is pretty well sealed up -- once the plastic cover is removed, there's not really anything else to it that can be accessed. The components are covered by a plastic cover that seems like it's supposed to be pried off but available tools can't move it. On the back is a small metal tab secured by two screws. After removing the metal tab and reinserting the meter, it seems that it conducts power, but now there's nothing on the meter display. Before tampering, the meter was stopped where it had been disconnected, looked basically like the neighbor's meter except that it wasn't counting.

Fortunately a quick solution has been found, but what happens when someone comes to read the meter? Will they know something funny is going on? What can be done about the missing tamper tag? Can the cover beneath the clear plastic cover be removed with no damage? If so the components bear inspecting.

Location is US.
No electronics experience beyond common sense. At least stupid death is avoidable. If the cover can be removed it is supposed that it can be determined well enough what leads where on the board and so what should be disconnected.

The meter is digital.

Here's what it says on the meter.
CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES
FOCUS kWh

TYPE ALF FORM 2S CL200 240V 3W 60Hz TA=30 Kh 7.2
BPL MODULE CB01-F

TXU ELECTRIC DELIVERY

LANDIS GYR

The rest is barcodes and corresponding numbers.

Please advise.

Thanks.

Comments

  • KatzenklavierKatzenklavier Regular
    edited July 2010
    If it's a meter with a spinning disk, it uses the eddy currents caused by the flowing electricity to turn it. A huge NdFeB magnet should slow down that wheel. ;)
  • JackJack Regular
    edited July 2010
    Nope, digital. There's a metal tab on the back of the meter secured by two screws. After removing the tab and replacing the screws, the display on the meter is blank but it isn't apparent whether it's still counting.
  • KatzenklavierKatzenklavier Regular
    edited July 2010
    It proably is. However with the lcd out, the power company will get suspicious now...
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