Can OG&E Turn Off Then Turn On my Power Remotely?

[okie405]

Long story, but I need someone to cut my breaker off then on, and I don't have anyone to do this for me. Having some technical issues in the house (no internet, home alarm is out) since the storm Sunday.

Can OG&E Remotely turn off then turn right back on my power?

If so, what sorts of fees might that be?

I'm 1000 miles away, don't know anyone locally, and no one has access to my garage/house to turn off the breaker. I want to get my home alarm and home internet (& wifi security cameras) back on, and I won't be home for another week. I can't reset it remotely as I don't have a way to get someone to turn off then turn on the house breaker (that will reset the wifi router setup and security systems to make them work again).

Calling internet company wouldn't help since they can't access the indoors to turn off the router. Security system with wifi cameras is DIY equipment, so no one to call for that. I don't know any neighbors. I don't have any friends/relatives/anyone nearby enough that could go to my house to turn off then turn on the power, and none have the key anyway. The only people I know locally is 2 elderly ladies who can't get out and about, so I don't have any friends/relatives/neighbors that could possibly get to my house this week.

[okie405]

I'm thinking they "can" remotely turn off power-- since the OG&E site and TOS say that they can remotely turn off service for unpaid bills without having to send a truck out or access the property.

I just wonder if they "will"-- and what kind of fees I'm looking at.

Yes, I need some local friends. No, I don't have any. Except very elderly ones, and they can't get out and out to do it. :/

[jn1780]

Hmm, they can, but I'm sure they won't. For one thing, its a random request that they probably don't get very often and haven't established policies over. Also, they would most likely say its a safety issue for them to re-power everything remotely.

[okie405]

Hmm, they can, but I'm sure they won't. For one thing, its a random request that they probably don't get very often and haven't established policies over. Also, they would most likely say its a safety issue for them to re-power everything remotely.

I was afraid of that. Seems I am SOL.

[turnpup]

How about a trusted friend/relative and a locksmith to get them inside to do it?

[okie405]

How about a trusted friend/relative and a locksmith to get them inside to do it?

I have no local friends/relatives in town (or in the region) able to. Don't know any neighbors.

I tried to find something like Postmates that could do it-- TaskRabbit (a local task app that would do what I need done here) isn't available in OKC. I'm not sure if there are any similar services. I couldn't find any.

I really don't want to spring for a locksmith since I still need someone to reset the device in my room to see if that helps at all, and I can't prove who I am to a locksmith from afar. Plus, my room has loose valuables, tax documents, etc. so letting in a locksmith isn't ideal either. I figure a locksmith would be a few hundred, and probably would alarm the neighbors too. (I once tried to fix the front door screen that had a few loose screws, and the neighbors though I was breaking in and called 911.)

I've got some documents for work I need on that home PC too and can't get now with no internet, on top of the security cameras etc. being down. I left in too much of a hurry in hopes of seeing my dying relative one last time.

I'm not sure if calling the ISP could do anything-- maybe they could at least reset some exterior power source or cable to the house?

[turnpup]

Sorry, I just re-read your post and missed the "don't know anyone locally" part. Probably shouldn't be on here when I'm in a hurry. Anyway, hope you can get it figured out!

[2Lanez]

I have no local friends/relatives in town (or in the region) able to. Don't know any neighbors.

I tried to find something like Postmates that could do it-- TaskRabbit (a local task app that would do what I need done here) isn't available in OKC. I'm not sure if there are any similar services. I couldn't find any.

Try WeGoLook? National (I think) company, but HQ in OKC. Would cost you some money I think ($50, maybe?), but could have someone meet a locksmith.

[okie405]

Try WeGoLook? National (I think) company, but HQ in OKC. Would cost you some money I think ($50, maybe?), but could have someone meet a locksmith.

That sounds like a task I'm looking for if they could just access my hidden house key that I'm nearly positive is out there and go inside to reset the breaker or at least unplug the modem and plug it back in. Their FAQ page says turnaround time is 2-3 days, so I'm not sure if it would be fast enough. That is the type of service I'm looking for, if they could just get it done faster. I don't want to use a locksmith- neighbors are paranoid look-i-loos who've called the cops when I was repairing my screen door before (thinking I was breaking in). I don't want a repeat when I have no way to verify it's my house from afar and that's looking at a few hundred with a locksmith and WeGoLook. I'll have to apply for a WeGoLook account and see if they could get 'er done a bit quicker... that would be a relief if they could, thanks!

[BBatesokc]

Food for thought. If you know one, you might also consider calling someone like myself - a licensed and bonded private investigator.

This way you are hiring a 'professional' (as in a company) that is fairly known for details and honesty and you have a larger licensing body to turn to should something go wrong - CLEET, the same people who govern the police.

A request like this is certainly out of the norm, but PI's get odd requests all the time.

The biggest issue you're going to have is proving you are the rightful homeowner and not a stranger setting someone up to break the law.

You could email a photo of your license to a PI and then he could verify that name is listed as the owner (any citizen can do that actually). But, from there he/she could ask you a couple of followup questions to verify your identity. A PI can run your name and ask you about addresses of a previous residence, cities you've lived in before, previous phone numbers or email accounts, etc. that will all appear on a basic background check they can run on demand.

The other benefit would be that if they were confronted by a nosy neighbor or police, they would have credentials to show them and it wouldn't seem as odd as just some random stranger.

As for cost? Would just depend on your location and how much time the PI would have to spend getting to your house, doing what needs to be done and go about their business.

[bombermwc]

Try WeGoLook? National (I think) company, but HQ in OKC. Would cost you some money I think ($50, maybe?), but could have someone meet a locksmith.

My brother in law works for WeGoLook, so if you are interested in the service at all, let me know and i can get you some info through private messages. The reps have to be trustworthy in order to be able to make the company be able to do its job. Yes it's a stranger, but should be considered a trusted stranger.

[jn1780]

Powering everything off and on again remotely may not even get the network back up. I usually have to power on the router first, then modem, automation hubs, and everything else when rebooting. That's why APC's are a nice thing to have in thunderstorms. You avoid those 1 second power spikes.

Having someone there to troubleshoot would be ideal.

[okie405]

My brother in law works for WeGoLook, so if you are interested in the service at all, let me know and i can get you some info through private messages. The reps have to be trustworthy in order to be able to make the company be able to do its job. Yes it's a stranger, but should be considered a trusted stranger.

I am curious about the service, but I'm probably looking for something more on-call it sounds, their site made it seem like it was a 2-3 day turnaround? I'm also wondering about what kind of fees I might expect, the sites like TaskRabbit are similar to Postmates and are very affordable.

[okie405]

Food for thought. If you know one, you might also consider calling someone like myself - a licensed and bonded private investigator.

This way you are hiring a 'professional' (as in a company) that is fairly known for details and honesty and you have a larger licensing body to turn to should something go wrong - CLEET, the same people who govern the police.

A request like this is certainly out of the norm, but PI's get odd requests all the time.

The biggest issue you're going to have is proving you are the rightful homeowner and not a stranger setting someone up to break the law.

You could email a photo of your license to a PI and then he could verify that name is listed as the owner (any citizen can do that actually). But, from there he/she could ask you a couple of followup questions to verify your identity. A PI can run your name and ask you about addresses of a previous residence, cities you've lived in before, previous phone numbers or email accounts, etc. that will all appear on a basic background check they can run on demand.

The other benefit would be that if they were confronted by a nosy neighbor or police, they would have credentials to show them and it wouldn't seem as odd as just some random stranger.

As for cost? Would just depend on your location and how much time the PI would have to spend getting to your house, doing what needs to be done and go about their business.

I've never met a PI, so I don't have one of my own. I would be curious about turnaround times and typical prices for a quick task. I really had more of an idea of an on-demand thing like TaskRabbit, similar to postmates. I also only have a passport/birth cert/SSN card here, no license on-hand since it's ~1000 miles away in the car, though I have my utility bill info on the house, photos of every room in my house, locations of exterior security cameras, wifi logins, my last name matches the last name on our (painful, lol) property tax records, and know where a house key should be if I left it outside where I think it is. I'm not sure how sketch this all might sound to a PI, though turning off and on an wifi router- not taking anything- might help ease a PI's fears.

[BBatesokc]

I've never met a PI, so I don't have one of my own. I would be curious about turnaround times and typical prices for a quick task. I really had more of an idea of an on-demand thing like TaskRabbit, similar to postmates. I also only have a passport/birth cert/SSN card here, no license on-hand since it's ~1000 miles away in the car, though I have my utility bill info on the house, photos of every room in my house, locations of exterior security cameras, wifi logins, my last name matches the last name on our (painful, lol) property tax records, and know where a house key should be if I left it outside where I think it is. I'm not sure how sketch this all might sound to a PI, though turning off and on an wifi router- not taking anything- might help ease a PI's fears.

PI's are pretty on-demand. I get calls all the time with little notice and either I have to take the assignment or I send one of the PI's who works for me on it immediately. Lots of "Hey, I need my spouse followed at lunch or after work TODAY." Or, "an employee just left claiming they were hurt on the job and we need them surveilled to see if they really act like they have an injury...". and so on.

Probably a $100 gig.

I'd do it, but I'm working round the clock for a couple of clients on some federal grand jury stuff that should be unsealed any day. But, if you need a referral to a local PI and if your house is near Edmond or central OKC, send me a private message and I can refer you.

[mkjeeves]

For longer term, you might consider setting something up with a house/pet sitter. Ours keeps a key to our house and we just call and tell them when we're going out of town. That probably wouldn't work trying to meet a locksmith for a key but who knows.

[okie405]

For longer term, you might consider setting something up with a house/pet sitter. Ours keeps a key to our house and we just call and tell them when we're going out of town. That probably wouldn't work trying to meet a locksmith for a key but who knows.

Interseting. Do they just drop by if something happens to your house, or go by and check on it every week? I hadn't thought of a house sitter. Usually I'm comfortable with the house security cameras on and remote wifi camera access, but if something goes wrong it would be nice to have an on-call person. I'm not sure where I would find a trustworthy housesitter willing to be on-call random times and not charge too much unless they needed to go to the house if something came up. Maybe some retiree nearby or something might be willing to swing by, though I'm not sure how I'd meet them. I really need some decent friends or pleasant neighbors.

I found a wifi detector that shuts off and on the power strip automatically when it can't ping Google, so I've got one of this on order already. My router had setting to reboot itself nightly, but apparently that feature doesn't work if the signal goes down... DD-WRT router software let me down here.

[okie405]

PI's are pretty on-demand.....

Probably a $100 gig.

Oh, that's way cheaper than I was expecting. On-demand is cool too, I didn't realize they were an on-demand type of deal. That could come in handy for things later on too, so I'd be happy to have a referral. I figured it was more long-term contract. I am in Edmond.

[mkjeeves]

Interseting. Do they just drop by if something happens to your house, or go by and check on it every week? I hadn't thought of a house sitter. Usually I'm comfortable with the house security cameras on and remote wifi camera access, but if something goes wrong it would be nice to have an on-call person. I'm not sure where I would find a trustworthy housesitter willing to be on-call random times and not charge too much unless they needed to go to the house if something came up. Maybe some retiree nearby or something might be willing to swing by, though I'm not sure how I'd meet them. I really need some decent friends or pleasant neighbors.

I found a wifi detector that shuts off and on the power strip automatically when it can't ping Google, so I've got one of this on order already. My router had setting to reboot itself nightly, but apparently that feature doesn't work if the signal goes down... DD-WRT router software let me down here.

They come by twice a day when we are gone all day, once a day on the day we leave and come home if it's early or late. They bring the mail in, pick up newspaper, feed my cats, give them the once over and medicine if they are taking any, turn lights off and on. They advertise house sitting with a variety of services and have info about getting keys mailed back and forth. They do have an initial set up visit and charge. I guess you might do all that walking them through the house over a phone, I don't know. They prefer you schedule 48 hours ahead and they charge for last minute requests faster than that time frame. http://careypet.com/ Don't tell anyone...I'd hate for them to get too busy to be able to help us. : )

[ShadowStrings]

I know someone interested in house sitting.

http://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=42942