ElectricianJeff
Senior Member
- Location
- Southern Illinois
I installed a 100 amp. upgrade on a small house in town yesterday. The original POA was 2.5' above and to the side of a bathroom window. The lineman disconnected me and I discussed with him using the same POA "no problem"
A couple of hours later a rep. from the POCO showed after I had the new meter socket and mast up. He was there to make sure their service conductors were big enough to handle the upgrade to 100. He informed me that "code" said I needed to be outside a 3' circumference around the entire window. I politely told him I thought there was a exception above the window especially when the top sash of the window was inoperable, which this one was. He said the AHJ probably wouldn't approve the install and even if they did the lineman probably wouldn't reconnect because it didn't meet code. I didn't have code book so I decided to leave it where it is and roll dice. I told him if I have to move it then I will.
AHJ showed up a couple of hours later and he questioned it also. He said the same thing. "3' circumference all the way around the window". Again, I mentioned the exception and we politelly agreed to disagree. He approved and stickered it just the same.
Lineman showed later and reconnected me with nothing mentioned about the POA.
Here's my question:
I know 230.9 (A) permits this installation but the POCO is not bound by the NEC. I searched this forum and found where someone quoted 290.4 from "their bluebook" permitting this installation. I assume the bluebook varies from POCO to POCO so I googled the power company "Ameren CIPS" to locate their bluebook with no luck.
I have never read a Bluebook, someone else on the forum called it a Greenbook. I have run into this identical situation a couple of times in the past and would like to be better prepared in the future. Can someone clear me up on this and send me in the right direction.
Thanks in advance,
Jeff
A couple of hours later a rep. from the POCO showed after I had the new meter socket and mast up. He was there to make sure their service conductors were big enough to handle the upgrade to 100. He informed me that "code" said I needed to be outside a 3' circumference around the entire window. I politely told him I thought there was a exception above the window especially when the top sash of the window was inoperable, which this one was. He said the AHJ probably wouldn't approve the install and even if they did the lineman probably wouldn't reconnect because it didn't meet code. I didn't have code book so I decided to leave it where it is and roll dice. I told him if I have to move it then I will.
AHJ showed up a couple of hours later and he questioned it also. He said the same thing. "3' circumference all the way around the window". Again, I mentioned the exception and we politelly agreed to disagree. He approved and stickered it just the same.
Lineman showed later and reconnected me with nothing mentioned about the POA.
Here's my question:
I know 230.9 (A) permits this installation but the POCO is not bound by the NEC. I searched this forum and found where someone quoted 290.4 from "their bluebook" permitting this installation. I assume the bluebook varies from POCO to POCO so I googled the power company "Ameren CIPS" to locate their bluebook with no luck.
I have never read a Bluebook, someone else on the forum called it a Greenbook. I have run into this identical situation a couple of times in the past and would like to be better prepared in the future. Can someone clear me up on this and send me in the right direction.
Thanks in advance,
Jeff
