How does one bond a RMC service riser when used as a sleeve for SEU?

Status
Not open for further replies.
I need to relocate the service drop on a low ranch home to get it away from going over a patio. If i were to run entrance cable up from the meter and then along the underside of the overhang to a point at the far end of the home and then penetrate the overhang with a rigid conduit riser to get the minimum clearance required, could someone help with with how would I make the transition to the sleeve and how would I bond it to the cable?
 

raider1

Senior Member
Staff member
Location
Logan, Utah
If the RMC is just used as a sleeve for protection then you don't need to bond it. (See 250.86 Exception #2)

Chris
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
I agree with Chris, but will add, as a matter of practice, locally, when this is done, the E/C normally provides a bond at the weatherhead by virtue of a lug on the weaterhead (some WHs have a factory lug) or a pipe clamp and the "tail" is connected with POCO neutral connection.
 
Still not sure.

Still not sure.

Doesn't 250.86 state "other than service conductors"?

Even though that conduit can be contacted by a person standing on the ground (as mentioned in exception #1? I was aware of exception #2 but I am still concerned that , as the Code sometimes does, there is some other article I am not aware of in another section which would require that conduit to be bonded.
 
Thanks for the input. I would feel hinky about not bonding the conduit so I will talk with the EHJ and see what he thinks about putting a pipe clamp around the top of the mast and either passing the neutral through it before it gets tapped to the drop or include a separate piece of bonding wire to the lug.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I would just have a bushing on the threaded end where the se cable enter the rigid pipe. I would then put a ground clamp on the pipe near the weatherhead and loop my service grounded conductor thru it.
 

hurk27

Senior Member
I would just have a bushing on the threaded end where the se cable enter the rigid pipe. I would then put a ground clamp on the pipe near the weatherhead and loop my service grounded conductor thru it.

Why?

You only need to bond it at one end if it needs it at all.

We don't run SE cable around here, but I have done many service drop relocates from over porchs and pools, and we try to run PVC to a gable end of a house if high enough to put the attachment point on the gable, but if we do have to penetrate the roof, I will change over from PVC to ridge and use a bonding weather head with the bond wire to the utility neutral as was pointed out.

The reason for PVC? much easier to put back up after a tree takes it down, and with the PVC male adapter in the top of the meter, theres nothing for the unprotected service conductors to short to if it breaks off at the meter, we have allot of old oaks around here that love to bring down services.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
The bushing material would not be limited to plastic.

Of course not, I didn't think I had to name them all. In fact I was stating what I would do... I would use a plastic bushing I never said you are limited to it.
GEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
 

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
Of course not, I didn't think I had to name them all. In fact I was stating what I would do... I would use a plastic bushing I never said you are limited to it.
GEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Even I didn't name all material types, and I did not say you said the bushing was limited to plastic material. I merely emphasized the bushing did not have to be plastic, which was the only type you referred to.
 

psbmt

New member
OK, so it you do not need to bond the "sleeve'. Is it permissible to use a PVC weather-head on top of the rigid conduit?
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
OK, so it you do not need to bond the "sleeve'. Is it permissible to use a PVC weather-head on top of the rigid conduit?

I guess someone could argue 110.3. Now if it were a pvc riser with a metal weatherhead then I would think you need to bond the weatherhead even if 110.3 were not an issue.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top