What material is included in an electrical service for your part of the country?

[WJR]

The material required for an electrical service seems to differ for different parts of the country. Can you guys please tell me what material would be needed to install a service in your area?

Following is a 200A 40 circuit service for a dwelling where the panel is located in the basement. This is in the Chicagoland area. (We don't do anything from the meter out. ComEd takes care of feeding and terminating from the meter pedestal to the transformer)

(2) 1 1/2" plastic bushings
6" 1 1/2" EMT conduit
200A single phase meter pedestal
200A 40 ckt MCB panel with cover
(1) 1 1/2" 90 degree EMT elbow
(2) 1 1/2" set screw die cast connectors
(1) 1 1/2" set screw die cast coupling
(1) 5/8" x 8' copper ground rod
6' #6 THHN (For the exterior grounding conductor)
21' #3/0 THHN
(1) Acorn clamp
(1) Plain 1900 box
(1) block Garvin cover
(1) 20A GFI
(2) Chase nipples with locknuts
(1) 20A Single pole breaker

(Circuit breakers are included in the branch circuit home runs)
(Interior grounding is not included because it is based on the distance to where the water meter is located in relation the the panel location.)

Thanks

Bill

[peter d]

Your list is pretty typical, but absolutely nobody uses EMT for a service around here. Electricians would look at you sideways if you did. For residential, it's always SEU cable, followed by PVC, and RMC for a mast service of course. PVC and RMC are the norm for commercial services.

[480sparky]

Central Iowa:

(2) ground rods & acorns
Change all raceways to 2"
1 Locknut inside panel need to be grounding lug type
I provide riser for Poco, they trench to xformer.

Not sure what a Garvin cover is.

[R2006]

In Pa. we have to do it all replace existing underground, new meter socket, all the indoor requirements. the customer here owns everything but the meter itself. Actually that would be eastern Pa. not sure of the requirments for the rest of the state. For an arial we would have to replace the drop, meter socket, indoor panel and make the new taps ourselves.

[jaylectricity]

(2) 1 1/2" plastic bushings
6" 1 1/2" EMT conduit
200A single phase meter pedestal
200A 40 ckt MCB panel with cover
(1) 1 1/2" 90 degree EMT elbow
(2) 1 1/2" set screw die cast connectors
(1) 1 1/2" set screw die cast coupling
(1) 5/8" x 8' copper ground rod
6' #6 THHN (For the exterior grounding conductor)
21' #3/0 THHN
(1) Acorn clamp
(1) Plain 1900 box
(1) block Garvin cover
(1) 20A GFI
(2) Chase nipples with locknuts
(1) 20A Single pole breaker

(Circuit breakers are included in the branch circuit home runs)
(Interior grounding is not included because it is based on the distance to where the water meter is located in relation the the panel location.)

I'm having a little trouble with the order in which you list your materials. In Mass we install either to the weather head or the light pole at the street depending on overhead or underground...I'm not sure about service laterals because I haven't done one. So I'll start with the weatherhead and work my way to the panel. You'll have to assume the lengths of wire since they vary with just about every house. In this installation I'll be using PVC as opposed to SE or rigid conduit and a simple riser of 15' from top of meter.

Service drop to meter socket
3 lengths of 2/0 Cu THHN from service drop to meter terminals
2" PVC weatherhead
20' of 2" PVC
4 2" PVC clips for the pipe on the side of the house
2" PVC Male connector
200amp Meter socket with 2" hub (Meter bypass lever in many towns, maybe all)

Meter to ground rod
1/2" PVC male connector
5-6' of 1/2" PVC pipe
1/2" PVC clips
10'-15' of #6 THHN
Ground rod (or 2)
Acorn (or 2)

Meter to panel Can be done straight from the back or out of bottom of meter socket using an LB...I'll use LB to get to basement sill

2" PVC male connector with LN and plastic bushing
Short piece of 2" PVC to
2" LB to
Short piece of 2" PVC to
2" 90 degree to
short piece of 2" PVC to
2" Male connector LN and bushingn
add a few 2" PVC couplings if some cases
3 lengths of 2/0 Cu THHN

Panel including water ground
200 Amp 40 circuit panel with main breaker
Your preference of romex and BX connectors
Appropriate breakers for each circuit
Ground bar
1/2" connector for water ground
Enough #4 Cu to get to water ground
2 water pipe clamps.

Did I forget anything? edit to add, Duct seal

[WJR]

Your list is pretty typical, but absolutely nobody uses EMT for a service around here. Electricians would look at you sideways if you did. For residential, it's always SEU cable, followed by PVC, and RMC for a mast service of course. PVC and RMC are the norm for commercial services.

Do you still use SEU cable where it will be exposed inside of the residence?

Where I'm at, even in jurisdictions that allow Romex, we still are required to install EMT or RMC from the pedestal to the panel.

[stickboy1375]

I use SEU exposed inside... why not? is it going to self destruct? ;)

[peter d]

Do you still use SEU cable where it will be exposed inside of the residence?


Yes, always. The vast majority of services are done this way.

Usually about 3-5 feet is allowed inside, as long as it enters the house and goes right into the panel. Anything more than that requires a disconnect (inside or out) and then SER cable is used.

[R2006]

Sorry just noticed your looking for a material list.
I,ll do a typical arial 200A service.
1- 4/0 weather head
3- taps (styles vary)
- ft 4/0 scu
2- w/p 2" conn.
1- 200a meter socket.
1- 2" indoor conn.
1- 200a panel w/main.
3- nc ground clamps.
- #4 bare ground.
1- 5/8 copper grnd. rod
1- acorn clamp.
-4/0 scu straps.

Sorry if I missed anything I'm fried tonight. hot day here.

[WJR]

Central Iowa:

(2) ground rods & acorns
Change all raceways to 2"
1 Locknut inside panel need to be grounding lug type
I provide riser for Poco, they trench to xformer.

Not sure what a Garvin cover is.

Are the (2) ground rods because of your soil conditions?

Why do they make you go to 2"? If you use a 90 degree elbow, that's a pretty big sweep.

A Garvin is a raised steel cover. We install a GFI to the bottom of the panel for provide power to the residence during construction and it's also needed for final inspection anyway.

Do you install wire and mast in the riser?

[WJR]

Meter to panel Can be done straight from the back or out of bottom of meter socket using an LB...I'll use LB to get to basement sill

2" PVC male connector with LN and plastic bushing
Short piece of 2" PVC to
2" LB to
Short piece of 2" PVC to
2" 90 degree to
short piece of 2" PVC to
2" Male connector LN and bushingn
add a few 2" PVC couplings if some cases
3 lengths of 2/0 Cu THHN

Great list! Since you are using PVC, do you need to pull a ground from the Meter to the panel?

[480sparky]

Are the (2) ground rods because of your soil conditions?

POCO requirement

Why do they make you go to 2"? If you use a 90 degree elbow, that's a pretty big sweep.

LB for a basement panel, right into the sweep, otherwise the meter & panel are back-to-back in a garage. 2" sweep still works on most new construction because walls are generally 2x6, add some for the thickness of the foundation walls, and a piece of 3/4" ply to set the panel on.

A Garvin is a raised steel cover. We install a GFI to the bottom of the panel for provide power to the residence during construction and it's also needed for final inspection anyway.

Never heard that term before. I don't consider anything past the panel part of the 'service', so I didn't list it or any breakers.

Do you install wire and mast in the riser?

If an overhead service, yes. Also provide point-of-attachment for the triplex.

[WJR]

Sorry just noticed your looking for a material list.
I,ll do a typical arial 200A service.
1- 4/0 weather head
3- taps (styles vary)
- ft 4/0 scu
2- w/p 2" conn.
1- 200a meter socket.
1- 2" indoor conn.
1- 200a panel w/main.
3- nc ground clamps.
- #4 bare ground.
1- 5/8 copper grnd. rod
1- acorn clamp.
-4/0 scu straps.

Sorry if I missed anything I'm fried tonight. hot day here.

Excellent list! Pardon my ignorance but what is scu?

I'll agree with you about the heat. I had to break down today and go to Sam's club and buy a big ole 4 foot industrial fan just to have some air movement in the house we were roughing. It was just way to hot and humid.

[jaylectricity]

Great list! Since you are using PVC, do you need to pull a ground from the Meter to the panel?

No, the grounded conductor gets bonded to the panel inside the panel. Grounded conductor (neutral), Equipment grounding conductor (to ground rod) and water ground are all bonded.

[frenchelectrican]

The material required for an electrical service seems to differ for different parts of the country. Can you guys please tell me what material would be needed to install a service in your area?

Following is a 200A 40 circuit service for a dwelling where the panel is located in the basement. This is in the Chicagoland area. (We don't do anything from the meter out. ComEd takes care of feeding and terminating from the meter pedestal to the transformer)

(2) 1 1/2" plastic bushings
6" 1 1/2" EMT conduit
200A single phase meter pedestal
200A 40 ckt MCB panel with cover
(1) 1 1/2" 90 degree EMT elbow
(2) 1 1/2" set screw die cast connectors
(1) 1 1/2" set screw die cast coupling
(1) 5/8" x 8' copper ground rod
6' #6 THHN (For the exterior grounding conductor)
21' #3/0 THHN
(1) Acorn clamp
(1) Plain 1900 box
(1) block Garvin cover
(1) 20A GFI
(2) Chase nipples with locknuts
(1) 20A Single pole breaker

(Circuit breakers are included in the branch circuit home runs)
(Interior grounding is not included because it is based on the distance to where the water meter is located in relation the the panel location.)

Thanks

Bill

Bill I have one question how you can run 3/0 in 1.5" EMT ??


here almost the same as you listed but i change the list for myself that will be used 2 inch PVC unless other situation trumps then go with RMC

for wire size i used either 3/0CU for med resdenital home or 4/0 CU for larger resdentail home.

SE cable yeah we used in this area as well [ i am not a strong fan with this i will expain at other part of this forum later and you will understand why ]

for underground and overhead right now it is a 50-50 mix but more is going with underground service nowdays


Merci , Marc

[R2006]

WJR
I could of really used that fan yesterday man it was hot.
SCU - service entrence cable (2-insulated 4/0 wrapped in an uninsulated nutral encased ina w/p jacket)
SCR- 3 Insulated 4/0, 1-Uninsulated ground wrapeped in w/p jacket. Stay cool today with that big new fan, not supposed to be as hot and humid here.

[bjp_ne_elec]

Always thought Service Entrance Cable was SEU.

In upstate NY, the customer owned everything up to the weatherhead for an overhead - the POCO supplied you with the meter.

In NH, the POCO owns everything up to the meter socket, and provides all the wire up to the meter socket if it's underground. If it's an overhead, the HO has to provide the service entrance cable.

[R2006]

BJP NE ELCT

Your right but for years here our supply houses used scu on the billing for what ever reason and it stuck. so alot of guy's from this area will just use scu kinda give away there area and age.

[kbsparky]

For most of the 200 Amp services we install a reduced neutral consisting of either a #1 or 1/0 THHN copper. IF we happen to be using 1½" PVC conduit for the job, that makes for an easier fit.

If you perform the correct load calculations, you will usually find that is more than sufficient.



Edited to correct minor spelling errors.

[electricmanscott]

BJP NE ELCT

Your right but for years here our supply houses used scu on the billing for what ever reason and it stuck. so alot of guy's from this area will just use scu kinda give away there area and age.


That is kinda funny. Someone screwed up and it just caught on.

[active1]

I'm in North Chicagoland and I do and see a few things different.

I would say 3/4 the time it is all RMC until the 1st panel (EMT the rest).
I don't remember seeing a 1 1/2 pipe with 3 3/0.
Don't see much 1 1/2 with 3 2/0.
Just like I don't see too many 1" 100 amp services.

One reason is the village codes have higher standards that you get used to doing. I do try to make an effert to check local requirements before starting but can be very difficult in some cases. Ya, I could get away with 2/0 in 1 1/2 EMT in some places but the chance of getting a reg sticker because they set a rule for min 2" RMC, 3/0, 40 space, 2 Ground rods, panel spaced off cement wall, copper buss, copper conductors, etc. is good in some places.

Besides my business is not about what minimum I can get away with. It is about providing quality electrical work.

Also sometimes the electrical contractor provides up to the utility transformer.

[satcom]

I'm in North Chicagoland and I do and see a few things different.

I would say 3/4 the time it is all RMC until the 1st panel (EMT the rest).
I don't remember seeing a 1 1/2 pipe with 3 3/0.
Don't see much 1 1/2 with 3 2/0.
Just like I don't see too many 1" 100 amp services.

One reason is the village codes have higher standards that you get used to doing. I do try to make an effert to check local requirements before starting but can be very difficult in some cases. Ya, I could get away with 2/0 in 1 1/2 EMT in some places but the chance of getting a reg sticker because they set a rule for min 2" RMC, 3/0, 40 space, 2 Ground rods, panel spaced off cement wall, copper buss, copper conductors, etc. is good in some places.

Besides my business is not about what minimum I can get away with. It is about providing quality electrical work.

Also sometimes the electrical contractor provides up to the utility transformer.

Keep up the good work!

[active1]

Thanks Satcom

[ptonsparky]

We rarely see SE cable. Most all is Emt or pvc. A mast for support of overhead would be 2" Rigid or IMC minimum.

Replace all the set screw connectors with the new raintite fittings, unless they are inside the building, and you would be good to go.

[WJR]

Thank you to all that responded to my request. I have attached a few of the service assemblies that I was able to create with your help.

If anyone would like any of the following assemblies, let me know and I will post them.


Meter with100 Amp 20 Circuit Load Center, Back to Back, 1 1-4 PVC


Meter with 100 Amp 20 Circuit Load Center - Back to Back, 1 1-4 Rigid


Meter with 200 Amp 40 Circuit Load Center, Back to Back 1 1-2 PVC


Meter with 200 Amp 40 Circuit Load Center, Back to Back, 1 1-2 Rigid


Meter with 200 Amp 40 Circuit Load Center, Basement with 2 Inch Rigid


Meter with 200 Amp 40 Circuit Load Center, Basement with SE Cable


Service Drop 3-0 Cu THHN in 1 1-2 IMC


Service Drop #3 Cu THHN in 1 1-4 IMC


Service Drop, 3-0 Cu THHN in 1 1-2 PVC


Service Drop, 3-0 Cu THHN in 1 1-2 Rigid


Service Drop, #3 Cu THHN in 1 1-4 PVC


Service Drop, #3 Cu THHN in 1 1-4 Rigid


Meter Ground - #6 THHN in EMT to Ground Rod


Meter Ground - #6 THHN in Rigid to Ground Rod


I do have one other request and that is for a 400 amp service. Do most of you install (2) parallel 200A panels?

Thanks again.

Bill

737

738

739

740

741

742

743

744

[frenchelectrican]

WJR [Bill]

"" I do have one other request and that is for a 400 amp service. Do most of you install (2) parallel 200A panels? ""

yes we do install 400 amp service with and without main breaker at the meterbox loacation

majorty of my time i useally do include it because 200 amp will go to the house and the other 200 amp go to the garage

for the home with 2 -200 amp breaker box some area with main breaker at the meterbox and some with the main breaker at the basement if the service entrance cable is short run per state/ local code allow it

Merci , Marc

[WJR]

For the 400A meter with two 200A panels, what ampacity do you use to size the feeders? Do you use the rated ampacity of the meter or the total ampacity of the two panels? Do you use the same material from the meter to each panel that you would for a single panel? (Running the two panels in parallel)

Thanks Marc.

Bill