Is the crawlspace under a house outside?

[DaveBowden]

I'm getting ready to wire a little one room addition on the back of a house. The existing service on the house consists of an overhead metercan, an offset nipple and a weatherproof panel on the back of the house where the addition is going. The meter can is going to be relocated to the new back wall ot the house, but the builder wants to leave the panel where it is.
The house is about 1 1/2 feet above the ground.
I'm trying to determine if I can run the service entrance conductors in the crawlspace ( in conduit of course) without having to install a service disconnect next to the meter or burying the pipe. I seem to remember something about burying the conduit under the ground beneath the crawlspace to have it be considered outside. If it were a stilt house and open underneath, the AHJ allows us to run under the house without an outside disconnect. We can even strap directly to the underside of the floor joists.

 

[iwire]

You would want to take a look at 230.6.

 

[charlie]

230.6

230.6

230.6 Conductors Considered Outside the Building. Conductors shall be considered outside of a building or other structure under any of the following conditions:
(1) Where installed under not less than 50 mm (2 in.) of concrete beneath a building or other structure
(2) Where installed within a building or other structure in a raceway that is encased in concrete or brick not less than 50 mm (2 in.) thick
(3) Where installed in any vault that meets the construction requirements of Article 450, Part III
(4) Where installed in conduit and under not less than 450 mm (18 in.) of earth beneath a building or other structure

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

I remember reading on this site some time ago about certain utility companies not permitting service conductors under houses, you may want to check with your utility.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Here the POCO won't allow service entrance conductors under a building, but we also only install all-in-ones, so you wouldn't really have that problem here.

 

[charlie]

I guess we have a different view on our authority. In my opinion, the serving electric utility has no business looking past the service point unless it is where there cash register (meter) plugs into the meter fitting. :roll:

 

[SEO]

I guess we have a different view on our authority. In my opinion, the serving electric utility has no business looking past the service point unless it is where there cash register (meter) plugs into the meter fitting. :roll:

I agree with charlie, in my area it's the AHJ's call from the load side of the meter.

 

[e57]

You may also want to ask the AHJ about their interpetation 230.70(A)1 - different places have different ideas about it.