Scupper Located Above Service Entrance Disconnect

[teqniqal]

I recently came across a 2400 Amp 120-240 Volt Service Entrance Disconnect outside a building. There is a roof drain scupper directly above the disconnect and a downspout that comes down the wall diagonally to divert the water around the unit. You can see a water stain on the wall below the scupper where the water has overflowed and run down directly onto the entrance panel. Does this meet code?

A secondary question is the elevation of the drip loops on the entrance cables. At their lowest point they are maybe 7-8 feet above grade. There is a doorway immediately adjacent to the disconnect panel that is the load-in door for a high school stage, and the area in front of the door and disconnect is a major driveway for cars, buses, and trucks that access the school. The cabling seems to be too low - almost reachable by anyone ignorant enough to reach-up and touch it, certainly reachable if you jumped-up a bit. Any reference to the minimum required elevation for the cables would be helpful.

Also, in consideration of the 2400 Amp rating on the disconnect, should their be a fence or other barricade at some distance around this disconnect? There are steel bumper-posts / crash-guards to protect the disconnect, but nothing to protect casual passers-by from the potentially high energy source.

I can send a picture of this to anyone that is interested, I just couldn't find a way to insert the picture file directly.

 

[raider1]

Welcome to the forum.

I recently came across a 2400 Amp 120-240 Volt Service Entrance Disconnect outside a building. There is a roof drain scupper directly above the disconnect and a downspout that comes down the wall diagonally to divert the water around the unit. You can see a water stain on the wall below the scupper where the water has overflowed and run down directly onto the entrance panel. Does this meet code?

Provided that the equipment enclosures are listed for exterior use there is no NEC prohibition for storm water flowing onto a service disconnecting means.

A secondary question is the elevation of the drip loops on the entrance cables. At their lowest point they are maybe 7-8 feet above grade. There is a doorway immediately adjacent to the disconnect panel that is the load-in door for a high school stage, and the area in front of the door and disconnect is a major driveway for cars, buses, and trucks that access the school. The cabling seems to be too low - almost reachable by anyone ignorant enough to reach-up and touch it, certainly reachable if you jumped-up a bit. Any reference to the minimum required elevation for the cables would be helpful.

Here is what NEC section 230.24 has to say about clearances for service drop conductors.

230.24 Clearances.
Service-drop conductors shall not be readily accessible and shall comply with 230.24(A) through (D) for services not over 600 volts, nominal.

(B) Vertical Clearance for Service-Drop Conductors. Service-drop conductors, where not in excess of 600 volts, nominal, shall have the following minimum clearance from final grade:
(1) 3.0 m (10 ft) ? at the electrical service entrance to buildings, also at the lowest point of the drip loop of the building electrical entrance, and above areas or sidewalks accessible only to pedestrians, measured from final grade or other accessible surface only for service-drop cables supported on and cabled together with a grounded bare messenger where the voltage does not exceed 150 volts to ground
(2) 3.7 m (12 ft) ? over residential property and driveways, and those commercial areas not subject to truck traffic where the voltage does not exceed 300 volts to ground
(3) 4.5 m (15 ft) ? for those areas listed in the 3.7-m (12-ft) classification where the voltage exceeds 300 volts to ground
(4) 5.5 m (18 ft) ? over public streets, alleys, roads, parking areas subject to truck traffic, driveways on other than residential property, and other land such as cultivated, grazing, forest, and orchard

Also, in consideration of the 2400 Amp rating on the disconnect, should their be a fence or other barricade at some distance around this disconnect? There are steel bumper-posts / crash-guards to protect the disconnect, but nothing to protect casual passers-by from the potentially high energy source.

There is no NEC requirement to fence off or separate service equipment from the general public.

Chris

 

[LarryFine]

Provided that the equipment enclosures are listed for exterior use there is no NEC prohibition for storm water flowing onto a service disconnecting means.

Agreed. The NEC does not differentiate between wet locations and very wet locations.

 

[iwire]

You can see a water stain on the wall below the scupper where the water has overflowed and run down directly onto the entrance panel. Does this meet code?

If the equipment is listed for wet locations most likely yes.

A secondary question is the elevation of the drip loops on the entrance cables. .

That can get tricky, in most cases the line between the NEC and the NESC (National Electric Safety Code) is at the splices in that drip loop.

The conductors from pole to building are not covered by the NEC, but the conductors on the customer side of the splices in the drip loop are covered by the NEC.

 

[iwire]

Agreed. The NEC does not differentiate between wet locations and very wet locations.

I think it does just that. :smile:

A 3R may not be a suitable wet location enclosure in some wet locations.

 

[teqniqal]

Thanks

Thanks

Thank you all for the info. I guess it just looks scarier than it is (to me, that's usually a bad sign...).

 

[LarryFine]

But, isn't the 3R suitable for water from above, no matter how hard it rains?

 

[iwire]

But, isn't the 3R suitable for water from above, no matter how hard it rains?

Sure but that was not what you said.:smile:

The NEC does not differentiate between wet locations and very wet locations

In my opinion a car wash example of a 'wetter' wet location.

 

[LarryFine]

Sure but that was not what you said.:smile:

Oh, so NOW you pay attention to what I say! grin

In my opinion a car wash example of a 'wetter' wet location.

Not just 'wetter,' but the water is pressurized and can go sideways and up.

So, it's not just 'wetter,' it's also 'harder.' :smile:

 

[Smart $]

So, it's not just 'wetter,' it's also 'harder.' :smile:

Yep.... that's why they call it "hard water" :grin:

 

[hurk27]

Kind of like those post light heads that are open on the bottom, and you get a call from the home owner that it keeps blowing bulbs till they shatter, and you tell them to not water the lawn when the post light is on kind of thingy