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Question de-installing live signage

nashvillesigns

Making America great, one sign at a time.
So, the removal of the sign happened yesterday. The curve ball was, the power was still on. My question is, the price was "agreed up" since it was for another sign company before arriving on site. After we arrived and started to remove the channel sign, we noticed the power feed was still live. i am not looking for an excuse to charge more, but wondering if it is reasonable or justified to do so?

Christopher Mosher
 

tim99

New Member
most light up signs are either wired to a switch or timer. turning off the power should not have been an issue. guess the big question here is did you ask or where told that the power would be off prior to removal?
if there truly was no way to turn off the power. I would have charged a hazard fee.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Making sure the power is off.... is generally the first thing anyone does, either by using the disconnect or turning it off at the main. If you are doing it while no one can get inside to do so, you'll just hafta plan better.
 

nashvillesigns

Making America great, one sign at a time.
Thanks Gino. Meanwhile in the real world... what is your almighty thought on my question?
Christopher
 

Kottwitz-Graphics

New Member
So, why not just go inside, flip the breaker, and proceed with the removal. It should take less than 5 minutes, and will prevent someone from getting a nasty shock....Remember, Safety First. When ever I work on anything electrical, I always double check the breaker, and also lock it out, because you never know when someone will go in for some reason, and "oh, look, that breaker is off, here, let me just flip this real quick"...

Years ago, I was wiring up a set of channel letters for a new store, and there wasn't even electrical ran. So we threw the transformer (a 12,000v) in the box, ran the homeruns to the letters, and proceeded to wire up the rest of the letters. Unknown to us, the electricians were in the back of the store, and started working around... They didn't think to check, but they wired up our transformer, and flipped the breaker... I was the one in the bucket, and just then reaching in to connect a lead, and it threw me back, knocked me out for something like 30 seconds....all I knew is I came to, laying in the bottom of the bucket, leg hanging out, and my helper on the ground freaking out, screaming my name, and yelling "Call 911"... When my senses came to, I noticed this glow out of the letters....and I knew immediately, what happened... I was pissed. when I got on the ground, got my s#*) together, I went in the store, ready to whip that guys a$$, and there were 8 of them standing around...needless to say, I cussed him out, and then went out, finished the job, and then took the next day off...
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Thanks Gino. Meanwhile in the real world... what is your almighty thought on my question?
Christopher

Not quite sure what you mean. I thought I did answer it, but if you want to go further and ask if you can really charge more, I'd say.... no. It was up to you to make sure you had a safe and good working environment...... but you didn't. Therefore in the real world, you made the boo-boo, so it's your fault. No extra charges.
 

AKwrapguy

New Member
So, the removal of the sign happened yesterday. The curve ball was, the power was still on. My question is, the price was "agreed up" since it was for another sign company before arriving on site. After we arrived and started to remove the channel sign, we noticed the power feed was still live. i am not looking for an excuse to charge more, but wondering if it is reasonable or justified to do so?

Christopher Mosher

I don't deal with electrical signs but should't that be one of the first things you do? When ever dealing with electrical components always make sure the power is off, it's a basic safety step.
 

Billct2

Active Member
Checking whether the wires are live or not is first.
Then if a disconnect can't be found on the sign it's time to find the breaker.
When turning off a breaker a piece of tape with a warning to leave off is an easy safety step if you don't have "lock out/tag out" kits.
And I have had to deal with live signs....carefully disconnecting one lead at a time and wire nutting will get the job done.
As for charging more, you should have dealt with it as soon as you discovered the sign was live.
 

Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
Aren't you supposed to deal with all wires as if they are hot? Do you not just disconnect the power from the sign and cap it hot or not and assume it is? Im no electrician, but I apprenticed with one and we never worried about if it was hot or not... rule was always treat it as hot.
 

ams

New Member
Always always always check for live wire first.
Second scout out to see if there is a timer or photocell, you don't want it coming on in the middle of the uninstall.
Third, don't ask the other sign company to turn it off, it's a flip of the switch, you can do that.
 

Johnny Best

Active Member
Was this a repo job and you could not go in to disconnect electric? Your lucky no one was shocked or hurt bad.
And sign guys wonder why people need to get permits.
 

ams

New Member
Aren't you supposed to deal with all wires as if they are hot? Do you not just disconnect the power from the sign and cap it hot or not and assume it is? Im no electrician, but I apprenticed with one and we never worried about if it was hot or not... rule was always treat it as hot.

Best way to test it is to lick the wire. :D
 
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