Extending Lateral Service Entrance Conductors

[Kaztech]

I have to relocate a residential underground lateral service to the exterior of the home. In doing so, the service conductors won't be long enough to terminate in new SE Rated ATS on the side of the house. (rural area - meter can is located 250 feet away out on property entry) My plan is to attach a NEMA 3R can to the side of the homes foundation to splice the conductors. In order to keep them accessible, I'm creating an open air bulkhead/vault (area approximately 36" wide x 48" long and 36" deep) with have adequate drainage as not to accumulate water and will have a removable "hatch" covering it to allow access. Anyone see an issue with this?

 

[LarryFine]

Welcome to the forum. Where is your electrician?

 

[tom baker]

Are you going to splice hot conductors? This is a job for an electrician.

 

[Kaztech]

Pertinent question Larry.. rural area - not required... I'm a TQP Licensed Generator contractor here in VT which allows me to install generator installations soup to nuts. Most of my applications the meters right outside the home above ground service entry. Trying to save customer cost of pulling new service entrance conductors which is approx. 278 feet away. Good chunk of change. Everything I do is driven by code, thus the reason I posted it.. I've scoured NFPA 2020 and don't find anything prohibiting this. 230.46 allows for splice and tap of a service entrance conductors (If they were direct burial, it'd be simpler..) and will be using compression splices suitable for line side service equipment. Existing conductors are in schedule 80 pvc coming into a sub-basement through concrete foundation. Going to pull them out & sweep them into waterproof 3R J-Box "with screw cover" out from there straight shot into service rated ATS. From their service conductors will run back down through existing opening into what will then be the homes subpanel. Yes I'm splitting neutrals and grounds. There's already two buried grounding electrodes from the prior service I'll be reusing. The bulkhead provides the needed clearance in front of the jct., will probably make it wider so I have 36" on either side.

 

[LarryFine]

I thought these post's were to be professional.

We're not being snobs. The owner of this site prohibits assisting non-professional individuals.

Who owns the conductors you want to extend, the customer or the power company?

 

[Kaztech]

We're not being snobs. The owner of this site prohibits assisting non-professional individuals.

Who owns the conductors you want to extend, the customer or the power company?

Customer of course

 

[LarryFine]

Customer of course

Then you should be able to do what you propose, as long as it's done well and properly.

 

[Kaztech]

Customer owns everything from the meter pedestal, including the pedestal. Larry.. I'm a retired elevator contractor of 38 years. Had my own business for 18 of those. I've managed controls and power supply's from 600VDC, 480 VAC and down. In all my years I've predicated everything I do is based on code noting NFPA 70 was our guideline as well for the Elevator Industry. I normally wouldn't post a question and have never relied on others in my past to find answers. I would always do my own research be grounded by same. The only reason I posted the question, is I was very surprised that I couldn't find or associate a code section directly to this condition I presented. (most of the code surround this was for multiple dwellings and commercial applications) So the code allows for splicing service conductors, and your conduit is underground then you must have access to that splice which will be partially below grade or just barely below grade, 314.29 (B) Exception allows me to cover a listed box with gravel as long as I identify it. So for my application, I believe I'm clearly satisfying code and because my weather proof cover will be fastened with screws, removed from the front, I'm creating open space around the enclosure to guard it and have ready access.

 

[Kaztech]

My basis for work I do regardless of what your doing is to follow and go by code, that's all that matters to me. I use to have my run ins with inspectors as we all do (not bad guys just doing their job. mostly) but in order to call me out, you have to show me in code where I'm wrong or it doesn't apply. I liked to be able to sleep at night thinking of all the people using elevators I installed or had just repaired.

 

[texie]

Does the meter pedestal contain an OCPD? In others words, are the conductors in question service conductors or feeders?

 

[Kaztech]

Does the meter pedestal contain an OCPD? In others words, are the conductors in question service conductors or feeders?

Nope.. just service entrance conductors.. Again .. I'm trying to solely reference code understanding different areas of the country have AHJ with their own stipulations. In those cases, you may win the war but loose the battle... think we've all been there.. "He wants it paint red... paint it red.."

 

[Kaztech]

Larry..

What would be different in your application assuming you owned everything but the meter.. Moving underground (in conduit) service entrance conductors from inside to outside, and conductors come up short? Pull 278 feet of new 3 wire which I suppose could be a call except that code says I can splice and I can have a partially bury listed junction box.. Would you fight it using code? Why wouldn't it be allowed?

 

[texie]

Nope.. just service entrance conductors.. Again .. I'm trying to solely reference code understanding different areas of the country have AHJ with their own stipulations. In those cases, you may win the war but loose the battle... think we've all been there.. "He wants it paint red... paint it red.."

Since you indicate that these are in fact customer owned service conductors there is nothing in the NEC to prevent splicing them to extend them. I do think your idea of the "vault" is a little sketchy and way more complicated than required. Just use a Quartzite hand hole of the appropriate size with water proof spices. In addition, this would be nonmetallic and no bonding would be required as with a metallic 3R box.

 

[Kaztech]

Since you indicate that these are in fact customer owned service conductors there is nothing in the NEC to prevent splicing them to extend them. I do think your idea of the "vault" is a little sketchy and way more complicated than required. Just use a Quartzite hand hole of the appropriate size with water proof spices. In addition, this would be nonmetallic and no bonding would be required as with a metallic 3R box.

230.46 allows for splice and tap of a service entrance conductors / Wasn't going to use metal box.. PVC.. Wasn't sure depth of hand hole would work... I see they offer extensions.. Need to research further..

 

[Kaztech]

I looked at this before. I would need a vertical hand hole as my 3" sch 80 PVC will be vertical. Wasn't able to find one that matched with the conduit and that was large enough for the service conductor spacing. Thus back to my using UL Listed PVC or Other listed Weather tight J-Box.

 

[LarryFine]

When I changed a 200a meter base to a 400, the underground service conductors were too short to reach the new line terminals. Instead of making splices in the meter base, the POCO dug a hole in front of it and permanently buried splices without access.