Splicing Service Conductors

[goldstar]

While taking a CEU class at my contractors association meeting it was mentioned that service conductors can be spliced. Does anyone know if this statement is correct and if so, can they be spliced before and/or after the meter ? It was also mentioned that Polaris bugs are not acceptable to be used for this purpose because they are not listed for this use. Thank you in advance.:thumbsup:

 

[goldstar]

I'm answering my own question here :

230.46 Spliced Conductors. Service-entrance conductors shall be permitted to be spliced or tapped in accordance with 110.14, 300.5(E), 300.13, and 300.15.

110.14 Electrical Connections.
(B) Splices. Conductors shall be spliced or joined with splicing devices identified for the use or by brazing, welding, or soldering with a fusible metal or alloy. Soldered splices shall first be spliced or joined so as to be mechanically and electrically secure without solder and then be soldered. All splices and joints and the free ends of conductors shall be covered with an insulation equivalent to that of the conductors or with an identified insulating device. Wire connectors or splicing means installed on conductors for direct burial shall be listed for such use.

Thanks for all your replies. :lol::lol::lol:

 

[electrofelon]

Regarding unmetered/metered service conductors: The NEC doesnt care but the utility might. I think it would potentially not be really an issue with the splice, but having an accessible box with unmetered conductors in it. Some might be ok with it if it is lockable/sealable. The polaris bug restriction thing sounds like hogwash

 

[kwired]

While taking a CEU class at my contractors association meeting it was mentioned that service conductors can be spliced. Does anyone know if this statement is correct and if so, can they be spliced before and/or after the meter ? It was also mentioned that Polaris bugs are not acceptable to be used for this purpose because they are not listed for this use. Thank you in advance.:thumbsup:

Would need to look into listing requirements and/or instructions for a specific product to answer that one. Might even find some products are listed for the purpose and other similar product is not.

 

[infinity]

While taking a CEU class at my contractors association meeting it was mentioned that service conductors can be spliced. Does anyone know if this statement is correct and if so, can they be spliced before and/or after the meter ? It was also mentioned that Polaris bugs are not acceptable to be used for this purpose because they are not listed for this use. Thank you in advance.:thumbsup:

What use is that?

 

[goldstar]

What use is that?

I'm not sure. It was mentioned in the meeting I was in that the Polaris bugs get too hot and melt. I haven't seen that myself. I've also seen situations where service conductors are run inside a trough after a service disconnect (cold sequence metering) and then stubbed up into meter enclosures. Polaris bugs were used and I didn't see any problems with them. Some of the guys stated that they still like using split-bolt bugs and rubber tape inside the trough.

As far as splicing ahead of the meter, I've seen POCO's do that when falling trees take out a service. They make splices in the triplex. I can't think of a reason that I would splice SE cable ahead of a meter though.

 

[electrofelon]

Where does all this nonsense come from? Get a bunch of electricians together, like at the supply house counter or CE class and the BS just starts to flow.......:roll:

 

[goldstar]

Where does all this nonsense come from? Get a bunch of electricians together, like at the supply house counter or CE class and the BS just starts to flow.......:roll:

For the record, the CEU instructor also made the same statement regarding Polaris bugs. That's why I posted this here in the Forum. I wanted to know if anyone else was experiencing this.

 

[kwired]

I'm not sure. It was mentioned in the meeting I was in that the Polaris bugs get too hot and melt. I haven't seen that myself. I've also seen situations where service conductors are run inside a trough after a service disconnect (cold sequence metering) and then stubbed up into meter enclosures. Polaris bugs were used and I didn't see any problems with them. Some of the guys stated that they still like using split-bolt bugs and rubber tape inside the trough.

As far as splicing ahead of the meter, I've seen POCO's do that when falling trees take out a service. They make splices in the triplex. I can't think of a reason that I would splice SE cable ahead of a meter though.

If they get too hot and other than simply not properly tightening the connections, you might have a misapplication involving parallel conductors but the device can't handle the entire load of the parallel set of conductors. Example would be bringing 3-3/0 that are parallel to create a 600 amp conductor, and landing them on a connector with many ports but only designed to carry 200 amps

Otherwise it shouldn't matter if it is service, feeder, branch circuit - the device isn't going to know any difference and current is current regardless which point it is in the system.

 

[infinity]

IMO a properly tightened Polaris style connector will make a better connection than a split bolt every day of the week. I've heard things in CEU classes that were completely false so unless someone is providing some documentation I'm not believing it.