Service Entrance Question

[RedTiger678]

I'm working on a re-wire and wanted to know if anyone can tell me where I can get the connectors that go between the utility service drop and the service entrance cables? I'll have a 200 amp service drop and wires hanging out of the weather-head, but need to find the connectors and clamping system to make this connection. Also, any recommendations on what exact wire to order from an electrical supplier for the triplex cables? I may be using the wrong terms but thought I'd ask anyway.

 

[njride]

Usually the utility makes the connection from the pole to the drop with compression connections. That is generally the part of the job reserved for them as the wires coming off the pole will be hot, not to say it can't be done without them but it's in your best interest to let them do it.

 

[RedTiger678]

The guy from Edison told me they can shut down the power to the transformer so I can make the connection.. Make the connection, get the final inspection, and then they would be called out to turn it back on in the afternoon...

 

[mrb]

which edison? where are you located?

are you sure you understood them correctly? their disconnecting and reconnecting might be the service drop. I know some pocos will let a licensed electrican do a temp drop connection with split bolts and then the poco comes back and crimps it, but I cant imagine a poco letting a homeowner touch anything on the utility side of the meter.

 

[I void warranties]

http://www.elecdirect.com/catalog/1af0c93a-66ba-4db7-ada9-4252ed3631e8.aspx

something sounds fishy, you best be careful!

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Those connections at the weather head, usually covered with plastic snap over covers, are always done by the utility, usually using a hydraulic crimp-er on the truck.

I replaced the service from the weather head down at my parents house fifteen years or so ago, and the POCO truck used his crimp-er while in the bucket of his truck, the wires from the transformer were still live when he did it. Transformer supplied three other houses and he didn't want to interrupt their power.

Charles

 

[Falcon67]

X3 or 4 - when I re-did the service at the old house, I let the Poco do the cut and the re-crimp. Drop was hot the whole time. No way I'm getting close to the service drop. On the new house, we're the only one on the xformer and the (different) Poco killed the feed at the pole when they reset the meter base and hooked up my shop feed box.

 

[ddawg16]

Same here.....I have Edison for my power......they will not even come out until you have approval from the inspector.....in fact, he is the one that will call Edison and tell them it's ok to hook up.

Who ever you are talking to knows not what they talk about.....

 

[mrb]

Same here.....I have Edison for my power......they will not even come out until you have approval from the inspector.....in fact, he is the one that will call Edison and tell them it's ok to hook up.

Who ever you are talking to knows not what they talk about.....

he didnt say where he is. could be commonwealth edison in Il or Con-ed in NY.....

 

[Falcon67]

Or Detroit Ed, etc LOL.

 

[dave67fd]

Same here.....I have Edison for my power......they will not even come out until you have approval from the inspector.....in fact, he is the one that will call Edison and tell them it's ok to hook up.

Who ever you are talking to knows not what they talk about.....
__________________

Ditto.
My poco will come out when the homeowner calls but will only hook-up if the meter has the inspection tag the inspector installed.

 

[brewchief]

Pretty common here for an electrician to make the connection with the overhead lines with split bolts, power company must be fine with it since they don't change them out for the crimp style.

Here Edision supplys the wire up to the weatherhead, from there down it's up the the electrician.

 

[Falcon67]

Here, the Poco engineer just needs to OK the work order before anyone tinkers with the service. Homeowner can be "OK to proceed" after a visit from the engineer, most likely to determine scope of repair and get a feel for "installer competence". It did take a few calls to get a hold of the right person - meaning, getting past layer one help desk clerks. We have no city inspectors. I just left the covers off for the Poco guys to look at. They checked mine all over, asked about torque on the connections, reviewed the grounding in the meter can and house panel, checked the mast install, then hooked up the overhead, set and tagged the meter. Never got a bill from AEP for the work either.

The new house is served by the local co-op and when I got those guys on the phone about the meter can issue, no ground rods and advice on a feed for the shop - they came right out and did it all, no charge. Including setting a CH 100 amp panel next to the meter for my shop run. Nice folks.

 

[RedTiger678]

I'm out of Ventura County California... I'll double check with the POCO about who does the actual hookup, but still need to know the exact cables to buy that will be sticking out of the weatherhead. I asked in another forum and someone mentioned for a 200 amp service it's 2/0 copper or 4/0 Aluminum, but each time I look at the SER or SEU or other listings at the box store, there are too many choices... Can anyone steer me to a more exact product?

 

[mrb]

do you have a conduit riser with a weatherhead on top, or are you running cable to a weatherhead? (which ive never seen in so cal)

 

[RedTiger678]

It's a Rigid IMC 2" Dia. Riser with weatherhead on top...

 

[mrb]

is it rigid or IMC? those are 2 different things. Make sure whichever you use is what your utility wants. You dont use SE cable in that -you use individual THWN conductors. 3/0cu for 200 amps unless for a dwelling then 2/0 is allowed but I just use 3/0 anyways.

 

[G_P]

mine is attached with split bolts wrapped in gobs of tape......looks like a little kid did it but it works fine!

 

[Tscott]

The power company should tell you what size service they want you to run. 200 amp around here would probably be a 1/0 triplex depending on distance to the transformer. Voltage drop should be considered if the distance is far over 100' or so. 4/0 would be used if the voltage drop were too great. Keep in mind that as the power company, they do not have to follow the NEC wire sizes for amperage rating. We get to under size our stuff because of this.

As for the connector, they will most likely use an "H" block connector (side by side compression connectors crimped with a hydraulic tool typically) to hook you up and then cover with either a plastic snap cover, or a bunch of wraps of tape.


Tom