powerplay
Senior Member
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- In front of a computer.
Is there an mast kit that would support an 800 amp service?
800 amp overhead mast kit?
- Thread starter powerplay
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Cow
Senior Member
- Location
- Eastern Oregon
- Occupation
- Electrician
Usually what I see is a piece of strut across all the masts, then 3/4 emt with the ends pounded flat guyed back to the roof.
powerplay
Senior Member
- Location
- In front of a computer.
Sounds like only 2 1/2" mast kits that have an 2" inside diameter. Solution seems to be parallel 750kcmil aluminum cables strapped to a mast with heat shrink "socks" on the exposed UV rated wires.
masterinbama
Senior Member
- Location
- Huntsville Alabama
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Isn't the real question going to involve "what is size and length of the supported service drop?"
Just because you have 800 amps of service conductors in the mast doesn't mean the drop is necessarily going to be equivelant in size, and there is also a big difference if the drop is just 30 feet vs 150 feet.
Just because you have 800 amps of service conductors in the mast doesn't mean the drop is necessarily going to be equivelant in size, and there is also a big difference if the drop is just 30 feet vs 150 feet.
powerplay
Senior Member
- Location
- In front of a computer.
It's just a service mast to connect to...10-12ft parallel cables from a disconnect switch.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
What are you asking for in this "mast kit"?
Isn't a mast simply raceways with weatherheads, and if it is a mast that supports the service drop then those raceways need to be physically strong enough to be able to support the drop?
You must have something more specific on your mind that makes up this "kit".
powerplay
Senior Member
- Location
- In front of a computer.
It appears that an approved Mast Kit that would support overhead Service conductors is the 2 1/2" maximum with 2" inside diameter. A pressure treated Post sounds to be the support for approved service conductors to be strapped to...just wondering if there was an electrical mast that is made to support conductors.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
I have never heard of a "mast kit" and that is what I am questioning here.
NEC simply says the mast shall be of of adequate strength. If EMT is adequate strength it is not prohibited by NEC, but it is seldom adequate. Many AHJ's may have additional requirements, and in most cases the POCO will have minimum requirements of what they want.
For your 800 amp service which likely has multiple raceways, if only one of those raceways is supporting the service drop then that is only one that needs to be strong enough to support the service drop.
powerplay
Senior Member
- Location
- In front of a computer.
I had discovered the largest "Mast Kit" is an 200amp one that come with the approved 2 1/2" Rigid Mast, Hub Connector, roof flashing with gasketed opening, U-Bolts, Insulated attachment clamp and Weatherhead. Locally I was told that it had to be approved as a Mast if supporting service Conductors.
My local hardware store had a 400A mast kit. Had flashing for 3" rigid, the mast leg kit with (4) 3/4" pipe ends and a collar for 3" rigid, and the weatherhead for the 3" rigid.
I used strut to mount the mast, so glad it didn't come with U bolts. I bought the 3" hub separately.
I used strut to mount the mast, so glad it didn't come with U bolts. I bought the 3" hub separately.
powerplay
Senior Member
- Location
- In front of a computer.
Local Hardware store?? ...that sounds like an hardware store I want to shop at!
I checked with one Electrical Supplier that told me he called "Hydell", and they said no mast Kit over 2 1/2" and to go with four mast kits to get the 800amps. Another Electrical Supplier said there was an 3" PVC weather head that would be strapped to a post, but not be able to support Service Conductors... pretty embarrassing if an local hardware store carried what Contractors suppliers do not!
I am going with parallel Teck cables with a Heat shrink "sock" to seal the cable strapped to a post being supplied. easiest way i hope!
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
The support os service conductors is usually mandated by the POCO. However the NEC states that the mast must support the weight. If needed there can be a guy wire or bracket system to support the mast to the roof. Not sure what the CEC mandates.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Again the NEC pretty much says it must be adequate strength to support the drop.
If the drop is only 30 feet of 2 AWG it does not need to be nearly as strong as if it is supporting 100 feet of paralleled 350's
I suppose I could see someone selling a kit containing typical items needed for a 200 amp single phase service mast, as this would be about the most popular one sold. The items in the kit are nothing you can not purchase separately though.
If the drop is only 30 feet of 2 AWG it does not need to be nearly as strong as if it is supporting 100 feet of paralleled 350's
I suppose I could see someone selling a kit containing typical items needed for a 200 amp single phase service mast, as this would be about the most popular one sold. The items in the kit are nothing you can not purchase separately though.
Yep, our local McLendon's hardware store is great. They'll order you anything, have most of what you need for 100A to 400A service installs, both leg and guy type mast kits in 2" and 3", had sch80 PVC long before Home Depot carried it, had a full line of twist-lock plugs and receptacles before home depot, etc. My biggest problem was a water pipe clamp that would take a 1/0 conductor (most only go up to #2). I finally found one at home depot, but I tried 2 electrical contractor supply houses and they couldn't find such a part (McLendon's didn't have any either). I'm sure if I researched it and found a part any of them would have ordered it, but I would have expected them to carry this if they had everything else for a 400A service.
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