1.) Code section 230.54
2.) Substantial revision and new text
3.) Proposal:
230.54 Overhead Service Locations {Including Transitions Between Overhead and Underground wiring}.
(A)(1) Raintight Service {Weather}head or Gooseneck. Service raceways shall normally be equipped with a weatherhead that is tight against falling rain. The weatherhead shall also be packed with duct sealant or type 1 room temperature vulcanizing silicone sealant so as to keep out driving rain. Care shall be taken to pack sealant around all of the strands of a bare stranded conductor. A bare conductor that has some strands laid in the left handed direction and some of the strands in the right handed configuration shall not be used. Weatherheads shall have conductors of different potential brought out through separately bushed insulated openings.
(A)(2) For specialized applications threaded schedule 40 ridid metal conduit or solvent cemented schedule 80 PVC rigid nonmetallic conduit shall be permitted to be formed or assembled into a 135 degree or 180 degreed gooseneck where the remainder or the service raceway is vertical. For horizontal service raceways that are perpendicular to the building surface the goosneck shall be 90 degrees. The gooseneck shall be terminated with a cable support bushing that uses insulating wedges that are watertight when the bushing is wrenchtight. The insulating wedges shall provide a separately bushed opening for each conductor. Additionally, duct sealant or type 1 room temperature vulcanizing sealant shall be used to form a redundant seal. Bare conductor shall not be used inside of the raceway in this application. The cable support bushing shall be grounded to the grounded circuit conductor or an equipment grounding conductor that is runs inside of the conduit. The gooseneck shall have guy struts or lines to brace the end of the gooseneck. Any threaded coupling that is between sections of the gooseneck shall also have guy struts or lines in case the coupling cannot be made wrenchtight or is loosened by wind force. Permitted applications shall include conductors that require more wire bending space than what a standard weatherhead affords such as but not limited to over 600 volts.
(A)(3) Service Cable Equipped with Raintight Service Weatherhead or Gooseneck. Service cables shall normally be equipped with a raintight weatherhead that is tight against falling rain. Type SE{R} cable and other jacketed cable for which a standard weatherhead is not available shall be permitted to be formed into a gooseneck. Weatherheads and goosenecks shall be sealed against driving rain with duct sealant or type 1 room temperature vulcanizing silicone sealant. the provisions and restrictions as to bare stranded conductor listed in 230.54(A)(1) above shall apply. After packing with sealant goosenecks shall be taped with a self-sealing electrical tape that is sunlight resistant to as to keep the sealant in place and the tape shall be tight against falling rain without the sealant.
(A)(4) Where a transition between overhead and underground wiring is on a pole without using a weatherhead or gooseneck, a cable support bushing that uses insulating wedges shall be used to terminate the raceway. The bushing shall be watertight when tightened wrenchtight. The bushing shall be redundantly sealed against water with duct sealant or type 1 room temperature vulcanizing silicone sealant. The bushing shall be grounded as specified in 230.54 (A)(2) above. The bushing shall provide separately bushed holes for each conductor. If the raceway runs continuously to an enclosure that is below the elevation of the cable support bushing the enclosure shall have a piped drain that runs to a reliable gravity drain such as the sanitary sewer or to the sump pump that is used for foundation drainage. This enclosure with drain shall not have any exposed live parts inside. If exposed to feezing the drain shall be externally or internally traced with self regulating deicing tape. The enclosure shall be permitted to have water plumbing for a trap primer. Solid service conductors shall be insulated. Stranded service conductors shall be insulated and shall have a strand blocking compound regardless of compact stranding or concentric stranding or the conductor shall originate at a pothead or bushing that keeps out water. Jacketed multiconductor cable shall not be used unless it contains a blocking compoound between the conductors and wire strands or originates at a multiconductor pothead.
(A)(5) Busway weatherheads shall have factory installed waterproofing and weatherproofing that keeps out falling and driving rain.
(A)(6) Cable trays and cablebus shall be sealed against falling and driving rain where it enters the building and where any cable sheath or contained raceway or sleeve terminates. Goosenecks shall be permitted for multiconductor cables.
(A)(7) For applications not listed above an underground service raceway that originates at a higher elevation than where it terminates shall be sealed at both ends using duct sealant.
(B) Flow of Water Inside of Stranded Conductors and Jacketed Cables. {Insulated stranded conductor that does not contain a strand blocking compound shall be treated as a possible water hose regardless of whether the conductor is compact stranded or concentric stranded.} Bare stranded conductor shall be sealed against water travel as specified in 230.54(A)(1) above. Bare stranded conductor that has some wire strands laid in the the left handed direction and others in the right handed direction shall not be used as service conductor. Multiconductor cables that do not have a blocking compound between conductors shall be sealed against water travel between the conductors and the cable sheath.
(B)(1)(a) Service Weatherheads and Goosnecks Above Service Drop Conductors {or Power Source}. Service weatherheads and goosenecks shall be located 6 to 24 inches ( 150 to 600 miliimeters ) above the point of attachment or power source and 6 to 24 inches horizontally. Where the distance is more that 6 to 24 inches ( 150 to 600 millimeters ) horizontally or vertically because of practical considerations auxiliary insulators ( which can be lag screw type ) shall be installed and the conductors fastened thereto as open wiring on insulators, bundled conductors, or messenger supported conductors at least once every 24 inches ( 600 millimeters ). Open wiring shall be permitted Article 398 spacings provided that the conductors are spaced at least 8 inches ( 200 millimeters ) from the building surface so that service raceways can pass behind the open wiring and to keep open wiring from contacting metal or plastic siding. Open conductors, bundled conductors, and messenger supported conductors shall be the minimum length necessary. Where the authority having jurisdiction requires a long drip loop the conductors shall be fastened to auxiliary insulators to prevent the excess length from contacting the building.
(B)(1)(b) There shall be a splice below the weatherhead or gooseneck and the splice shall be arranged to drain or shall be of the water blocking crimped type. A mechanical or crimped butt splice shall be machined from a solid metal bar so that water cannot travel through the interior of the butt splice. To prevent electrical utility electricians from placing the splice above the weatherhead or gooseneck the service conductors shall be fastened to auxiliary insulators, shall be a minimum of 60 inches ( 1.5 meters ), or shall pass through current transformers that are below the weatherhead or gooseneck.
(B)(2)(a) Service Weatherhead or Gooseneck Below Point of Attachment. For electrical safety reasons ( such as when on a power supplier's pole and similar conditions ) the weatherhead or gooseneck shall be permitted below the power source or point of atachment. Explanation shall be given in writing as to why the weatherhead must be below the point of attachment or power source and this reason must be approved in writing by ALL authorities having jurisdiction. This method shall not be used with busway, cable tray, or cablebus. The service conductors shall have a drip loop and auxiliary insulator(s) shall be used to maintain the drip loop except for the application in 230.54)(A)(4) above. Where the weatherhead of gooseneck is more than 24 inches ( 600 millimeters ) from the point of attachment or power source auxiliary insulator(s) shall be installed at least once every 24 inches ( 600 millimeters ).
(B)(2)(b) Flow of water inside of conductors shall be prevented by one of these means:
1. A splice below the weatherhead or gooseneck within 12 inches ( 300 millimeters ) or the weatherhead or gooseneck to pigtails that are insulated solid conductor or insulated stranded conductor that contains a strand blocking compound. Auxiliary insulators shall be installed below the splice and the pigtails fastened to these insulators.
2. Insulated stranded conductors that contain a strand blocking compound do not need a splice below the weatherhead or gooseneck but nevertheless shall be fastened to auxiliary insulators to form a drip loop. A bare solid or stranded conductor in this application also does not require a splice below the weatherhead or gooseneck provided that it is sealed against driving rain as specified in 230.54(A)(1) above.
3. Insulated solid conductor and bare solid conductor for a service rated 20 amperes or 30 amperes.
(C) Other Watertightness. Raceways, cable jackets, and enclosures shall be sealed against passage of water from one location to another. This sealing shall normally be at one end but shall be installed at both ends if there is a possibility of 2-way water travel. Enclosures that are not explosionproof or dust-ignitionproof shall have a drain hole or piped drain. A drain hole shall be 3/32 to 1/4 inch ( 4 to 6 millimeters ) in diameter. Explosionproof and dust-ignitionproof enclosures shall have an acceptable piped drain with trap, trap primer, and flame arrestor. Any piped drain shall have sufficient cleanout openings and shall be a minimum of 3/4 inch schedule 40 or 1 inch schedule 80 pipe. Enclosures do not need to be absolutely tight against driving rain but shall be reasonably tight against driving rain as determined by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory such that a properly sized drain hole will prevent water from accumulating and water will not damage internal parts. An inspection hole in an outdoor crimped terminal shall be filled with duct sealant or type 1 room temperature vulcanizing sealant and then taped to as to permanently close the hole.
(D) Secured. Service cables, raceways, wireways, cable trays, enclosures and so forth shall be secured in place. Nails shall not be used except to fasten 1 piece of wood to another in such as way that nails cannot be pulled loose by the usual direction(s) of stress. Fastening shall be to 1.5 inch ( 38 millimeter ) actual thickness wood or load bearing thickness concrete, concrete blocks, brick, steel, or other substantial member. The substantial member does not need to be at the surface such as when flatwise or normal cross studs are behind plywood or composition sheathing. Fasteners shall penetrate at least 1.5 inches ( 38 millimeters ) into the substantial member. Screws, bolts, nails, and threaded rods shall be galvanized steel , tin plated steel, stainless steel, or bronze. Fastening shall be done frequently such as every 24 inches ( 600 millimeters ) if the authority having jurisdiction so specifies.
(E) Point of Attachment: The point of attachment that is below a roof shall be connected to substantial structural member(s) using a through bolt or threaded rod at least 5/8 inch ( 16 millimeters ) in diameter. Wooden structural members shall be at least 2 in number or a short 2x8 nominal board fastened to 2 structural members. A point of attachment that is above a roof shall be a through the roof mast, a beside the roof mast, or a beside the building pole. A service drop shall not be fastened to a plate, eyebolt, or other fastener that is directly in the roof. A through the roof mast shall be be blocked immediately below the roof with wood or steel that will withstand full imposed force and all other fastenings shall be 2-hole straps or other substantial means. Nails shall be permitted to connect 1 piece of wood to another. A beside the roof mast shall be connected with through bolts or threaded rod at least 5/8 inch ( 16 millimeters ) in diameter. Fasteners shall be galvanized steel, tin plated steel, stainless steel, or bronze. A service mast shall be a minimum of 2.5 inch ( Metric designator 63 ) schedule 40 galvanized steel rigid metal conduit or equivalent galvanized steel beam for service small than or equal to 4/0 copper of aluminum and for a service drop span that is 100 feet ( 30 meters ) long or less. Larger and stronger masts shall be used for larger conductors and longer spans. For corrosive conditions appropriate size stainless steel or bronze conduit or beam shall be permitted. If a stainless steel or bronze conduit is not listed the conduit shall contain some other approved wiring method or the wiring method shall be external to the conduit. A beside the building pole shall be spaced from basements for a horizontal distance of at 3 times the depth of the basement. Lag screw insulators and lag screw fastened insulator racks shall be premitted for auxiliary insulators provided that the lag screw penetrates at least 1.5 inches ( 38 millimeters ) into a structurally sound object. Lag shields that are shorter than 1.5 inches ( 38 millimeters ) shall be permitted provided that the tapered portion of the lag screw penetrates past the lag shield. Around-the-gutter and around-the-edge-of-the-roof masts with bends and/or conduit bodies shall not be permitted.
(F) Wire Bending Space at Fittings. Weatherheads and conduit bodies shall have sufficient wire bending space in accordance with section 312.6, manufacturer's data, and the listing of the fitting. Conductors shall be formed with a cable bending tool so that conductors will not be pressed against metallic and nonmetallic raceway walls, enclosures, and each other so as to prevent cold flow of insulation that would lead to a short circuit or ground fault.
(G) Instrument Rated Meter Sockets. Meter sockets that are for use with current transformers, voltage transformers, or both shall have all raceways and cables entering below the level of any test switches, circuit breakers, fuses, or any other live terminal or part. Where specified, raceway shall be connected to a piped drain or a lower enclosure that is arranged to drain. Raceways, conductors, and cables that originate above the meter shall be sealed against driving rain and water flow between wire strands. For exposed outdoor instrument transformer locations the instrument conductors shall pass through a weatherhead or gooseneck that is above all supply connections and the weatherhead or gooseneck shall be sealed against driving rain.
(H) Breakaway Protection. The final span of a service drop shall have breakaway mechanical and electrical connectors that will safely break and disconnect live voltages in the event of catastropic stress on the service drop such as a tree falling, ice overload, or a motor vehicle collision. A span the terminates at a beside the building pole shall have this protection. If a beside the building pole that is more than 6 feet ( 2 meters ) from a building overhead wiring shall have additional breakaway mechanical and electrical connectors for the span from the beside the building pole to the building. Breakaway protection shall be required after name a date.
4.) Reasoning and substantiation:
A. There are a lot of Keepers of Old Knowledge who are at least 30 years behind current National Electrical Code. Quite a few of them are placing weatherheads below the point of attachment without justification and otherwise doing things that can cause water to flow between wire strands blah blah blah. These people just do not realize why the weatherhead or gooseneck is to be normally be above the point of attachment or power source.
B. Insulated stranded wire that does not have a strand blocking compound is a poor excuse for a water hose. Compact stranded is an even poorer excuse for a water hose.
C. Applications that would benefit from stranded wire that does have strand blocking compound need to be recognized or even REQUIRED.
D. The 4 hurricanes in 2004 bring to light that driving rain can find its way through weatherheads and goosenecks. God goes after stuff with a pressure washer. Rain does not have to be horizontal to force its way into a weatherhead, just a few degrees from horizontal will do.
E. Every once in a while there is an overhead service over 600 volts!
F. Some practices that are required for safety reasons. For instance, a weatherhead that is on a power supplier's pole is often required to be MORE than 24 inches from the power source. Therfore, the present 230.54(C) Exception is nonsense. Requiring that the reason for putting the weatherhead below the point of attachment or power source be in writing will help weed out improper applications.
G. I have seen quite a few bogus services in Seven Hills, Ohio. Theses involve running a conduit around the gutter using an LB an a nipple to support the weather head without any support for the nipple. If an electrician is not enough of a carpenter to cut in a flashing for a through the roof mast he has no business installing an overhead service on a 1 story house.
H. Gratuituous lengths of open wiring instead of service cable or raceway on insulators needs to be minimized and discouraged. Open wiring is often over aluminum or vinyl siding. If a utility wants an extra long drip loop in case they want to refit with an electronic current transformer meter that is 1 thing just as long as it is done right. In some instances there needs to be enough spacing to allow service raceways to pass behind open wiring so that the weatherhead can be above the open wiring.
I. Lag screw insulators are sometimes screwed into plywood sheathing that is NOT the Code required thickness for mounting panelboards that are not subject to wind. In frequent instances they pass through 1 to 1.5 inches of foam insulation. A requirement for cross studs, flatwise or conventional, would also help.
J. I have not seen an instance where a lag screwed point of attachment will not pull out due to weather conditions or other calamity. Through bolts and threaded rods need to be standard practice.
K. Some jackass somewhere is going to complain that a through bolted point of attachment will tear down a house if a tree falls on it. Breakaway supply connectors would provide a deliberate weak point such that a failure is "innocuous". Breakaway connectors for highway signs and light poles do save lives and injuries. An equivalent requirement for service drops would increase safety and repairability by providing a controlled breaking point. When an irresistable force meets up with an immovable object something will break.
L. Water that is between wire strands can freeze and break insulation and some types of wire connectors.
M. Water between wire strands can also internally corrode the conductor. I have seen this in older installations.
N. There have been some instance where water has filled a meter socket and meter. I have also seen an instance where water entered holes in the upper service cable, dripped straight through a meter socket into the lower service cable, and then ran into the service panel. Operating some of the circuit breakers was quiter shocking. There is not a way for a construction method to cope with a water main break forcing its way into an underground service.
O. A service supply riser that uses a bushing instead of a weatherhead is more likely to leak water into service equipment. These installations normally do not have a drip loop. A conventional weatherhead or conduit gooseneck is impractical with an over 600 volt service that originates at a pole and a drip loop is NOT normally done with shielded high voltage cable. Therefore, any water that does enter the raceway needs to be intercepted before it gets into any enclosure that has live parts. I have seen an installation where water leaked past the required seal where an underground service ran into the basement. Requiring a substantial seal at the supply end will help.
P. A service does not have to withstand a water main break or an F4 or F5 tornado or equivalent disaster.
PS: I will clean up the spelling errors and capitalization this weekend!
Deleted Personal Information
[ April 18, 2005, 12:59 AM: Message edited by: mc5w ]
2.) Substantial revision and new text
3.) Proposal:
230.54 Overhead Service Locations {Including Transitions Between Overhead and Underground wiring}.
(A)(1) Raintight Service {Weather}head or Gooseneck. Service raceways shall normally be equipped with a weatherhead that is tight against falling rain. The weatherhead shall also be packed with duct sealant or type 1 room temperature vulcanizing silicone sealant so as to keep out driving rain. Care shall be taken to pack sealant around all of the strands of a bare stranded conductor. A bare conductor that has some strands laid in the left handed direction and some of the strands in the right handed configuration shall not be used. Weatherheads shall have conductors of different potential brought out through separately bushed insulated openings.
(A)(2) For specialized applications threaded schedule 40 ridid metal conduit or solvent cemented schedule 80 PVC rigid nonmetallic conduit shall be permitted to be formed or assembled into a 135 degree or 180 degreed gooseneck where the remainder or the service raceway is vertical. For horizontal service raceways that are perpendicular to the building surface the goosneck shall be 90 degrees. The gooseneck shall be terminated with a cable support bushing that uses insulating wedges that are watertight when the bushing is wrenchtight. The insulating wedges shall provide a separately bushed opening for each conductor. Additionally, duct sealant or type 1 room temperature vulcanizing sealant shall be used to form a redundant seal. Bare conductor shall not be used inside of the raceway in this application. The cable support bushing shall be grounded to the grounded circuit conductor or an equipment grounding conductor that is runs inside of the conduit. The gooseneck shall have guy struts or lines to brace the end of the gooseneck. Any threaded coupling that is between sections of the gooseneck shall also have guy struts or lines in case the coupling cannot be made wrenchtight or is loosened by wind force. Permitted applications shall include conductors that require more wire bending space than what a standard weatherhead affords such as but not limited to over 600 volts.
(A)(3) Service Cable Equipped with Raintight Service Weatherhead or Gooseneck. Service cables shall normally be equipped with a raintight weatherhead that is tight against falling rain. Type SE{R} cable and other jacketed cable for which a standard weatherhead is not available shall be permitted to be formed into a gooseneck. Weatherheads and goosenecks shall be sealed against driving rain with duct sealant or type 1 room temperature vulcanizing silicone sealant. the provisions and restrictions as to bare stranded conductor listed in 230.54(A)(1) above shall apply. After packing with sealant goosenecks shall be taped with a self-sealing electrical tape that is sunlight resistant to as to keep the sealant in place and the tape shall be tight against falling rain without the sealant.
(A)(4) Where a transition between overhead and underground wiring is on a pole without using a weatherhead or gooseneck, a cable support bushing that uses insulating wedges shall be used to terminate the raceway. The bushing shall be watertight when tightened wrenchtight. The bushing shall be redundantly sealed against water with duct sealant or type 1 room temperature vulcanizing silicone sealant. The bushing shall be grounded as specified in 230.54 (A)(2) above. The bushing shall provide separately bushed holes for each conductor. If the raceway runs continuously to an enclosure that is below the elevation of the cable support bushing the enclosure shall have a piped drain that runs to a reliable gravity drain such as the sanitary sewer or to the sump pump that is used for foundation drainage. This enclosure with drain shall not have any exposed live parts inside. If exposed to feezing the drain shall be externally or internally traced with self regulating deicing tape. The enclosure shall be permitted to have water plumbing for a trap primer. Solid service conductors shall be insulated. Stranded service conductors shall be insulated and shall have a strand blocking compound regardless of compact stranding or concentric stranding or the conductor shall originate at a pothead or bushing that keeps out water. Jacketed multiconductor cable shall not be used unless it contains a blocking compoound between the conductors and wire strands or originates at a multiconductor pothead.
(A)(5) Busway weatherheads shall have factory installed waterproofing and weatherproofing that keeps out falling and driving rain.
(A)(6) Cable trays and cablebus shall be sealed against falling and driving rain where it enters the building and where any cable sheath or contained raceway or sleeve terminates. Goosenecks shall be permitted for multiconductor cables.
(A)(7) For applications not listed above an underground service raceway that originates at a higher elevation than where it terminates shall be sealed at both ends using duct sealant.
(B) Flow of Water Inside of Stranded Conductors and Jacketed Cables. {Insulated stranded conductor that does not contain a strand blocking compound shall be treated as a possible water hose regardless of whether the conductor is compact stranded or concentric stranded.} Bare stranded conductor shall be sealed against water travel as specified in 230.54(A)(1) above. Bare stranded conductor that has some wire strands laid in the the left handed direction and others in the right handed direction shall not be used as service conductor. Multiconductor cables that do not have a blocking compound between conductors shall be sealed against water travel between the conductors and the cable sheath.
(B)(1)(a) Service Weatherheads and Goosnecks Above Service Drop Conductors {or Power Source}. Service weatherheads and goosenecks shall be located 6 to 24 inches ( 150 to 600 miliimeters ) above the point of attachment or power source and 6 to 24 inches horizontally. Where the distance is more that 6 to 24 inches ( 150 to 600 millimeters ) horizontally or vertically because of practical considerations auxiliary insulators ( which can be lag screw type ) shall be installed and the conductors fastened thereto as open wiring on insulators, bundled conductors, or messenger supported conductors at least once every 24 inches ( 600 millimeters ). Open wiring shall be permitted Article 398 spacings provided that the conductors are spaced at least 8 inches ( 200 millimeters ) from the building surface so that service raceways can pass behind the open wiring and to keep open wiring from contacting metal or plastic siding. Open conductors, bundled conductors, and messenger supported conductors shall be the minimum length necessary. Where the authority having jurisdiction requires a long drip loop the conductors shall be fastened to auxiliary insulators to prevent the excess length from contacting the building.
(B)(1)(b) There shall be a splice below the weatherhead or gooseneck and the splice shall be arranged to drain or shall be of the water blocking crimped type. A mechanical or crimped butt splice shall be machined from a solid metal bar so that water cannot travel through the interior of the butt splice. To prevent electrical utility electricians from placing the splice above the weatherhead or gooseneck the service conductors shall be fastened to auxiliary insulators, shall be a minimum of 60 inches ( 1.5 meters ), or shall pass through current transformers that are below the weatherhead or gooseneck.
(B)(2)(a) Service Weatherhead or Gooseneck Below Point of Attachment. For electrical safety reasons ( such as when on a power supplier's pole and similar conditions ) the weatherhead or gooseneck shall be permitted below the power source or point of atachment. Explanation shall be given in writing as to why the weatherhead must be below the point of attachment or power source and this reason must be approved in writing by ALL authorities having jurisdiction. This method shall not be used with busway, cable tray, or cablebus. The service conductors shall have a drip loop and auxiliary insulator(s) shall be used to maintain the drip loop except for the application in 230.54)(A)(4) above. Where the weatherhead of gooseneck is more than 24 inches ( 600 millimeters ) from the point of attachment or power source auxiliary insulator(s) shall be installed at least once every 24 inches ( 600 millimeters ).
(B)(2)(b) Flow of water inside of conductors shall be prevented by one of these means:
1. A splice below the weatherhead or gooseneck within 12 inches ( 300 millimeters ) or the weatherhead or gooseneck to pigtails that are insulated solid conductor or insulated stranded conductor that contains a strand blocking compound. Auxiliary insulators shall be installed below the splice and the pigtails fastened to these insulators.
2. Insulated stranded conductors that contain a strand blocking compound do not need a splice below the weatherhead or gooseneck but nevertheless shall be fastened to auxiliary insulators to form a drip loop. A bare solid or stranded conductor in this application also does not require a splice below the weatherhead or gooseneck provided that it is sealed against driving rain as specified in 230.54(A)(1) above.
3. Insulated solid conductor and bare solid conductor for a service rated 20 amperes or 30 amperes.
(C) Other Watertightness. Raceways, cable jackets, and enclosures shall be sealed against passage of water from one location to another. This sealing shall normally be at one end but shall be installed at both ends if there is a possibility of 2-way water travel. Enclosures that are not explosionproof or dust-ignitionproof shall have a drain hole or piped drain. A drain hole shall be 3/32 to 1/4 inch ( 4 to 6 millimeters ) in diameter. Explosionproof and dust-ignitionproof enclosures shall have an acceptable piped drain with trap, trap primer, and flame arrestor. Any piped drain shall have sufficient cleanout openings and shall be a minimum of 3/4 inch schedule 40 or 1 inch schedule 80 pipe. Enclosures do not need to be absolutely tight against driving rain but shall be reasonably tight against driving rain as determined by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory such that a properly sized drain hole will prevent water from accumulating and water will not damage internal parts. An inspection hole in an outdoor crimped terminal shall be filled with duct sealant or type 1 room temperature vulcanizing sealant and then taped to as to permanently close the hole.
(D) Secured. Service cables, raceways, wireways, cable trays, enclosures and so forth shall be secured in place. Nails shall not be used except to fasten 1 piece of wood to another in such as way that nails cannot be pulled loose by the usual direction(s) of stress. Fastening shall be to 1.5 inch ( 38 millimeter ) actual thickness wood or load bearing thickness concrete, concrete blocks, brick, steel, or other substantial member. The substantial member does not need to be at the surface such as when flatwise or normal cross studs are behind plywood or composition sheathing. Fasteners shall penetrate at least 1.5 inches ( 38 millimeters ) into the substantial member. Screws, bolts, nails, and threaded rods shall be galvanized steel , tin plated steel, stainless steel, or bronze. Fastening shall be done frequently such as every 24 inches ( 600 millimeters ) if the authority having jurisdiction so specifies.
(E) Point of Attachment: The point of attachment that is below a roof shall be connected to substantial structural member(s) using a through bolt or threaded rod at least 5/8 inch ( 16 millimeters ) in diameter. Wooden structural members shall be at least 2 in number or a short 2x8 nominal board fastened to 2 structural members. A point of attachment that is above a roof shall be a through the roof mast, a beside the roof mast, or a beside the building pole. A service drop shall not be fastened to a plate, eyebolt, or other fastener that is directly in the roof. A through the roof mast shall be be blocked immediately below the roof with wood or steel that will withstand full imposed force and all other fastenings shall be 2-hole straps or other substantial means. Nails shall be permitted to connect 1 piece of wood to another. A beside the roof mast shall be connected with through bolts or threaded rod at least 5/8 inch ( 16 millimeters ) in diameter. Fasteners shall be galvanized steel, tin plated steel, stainless steel, or bronze. A service mast shall be a minimum of 2.5 inch ( Metric designator 63 ) schedule 40 galvanized steel rigid metal conduit or equivalent galvanized steel beam for service small than or equal to 4/0 copper of aluminum and for a service drop span that is 100 feet ( 30 meters ) long or less. Larger and stronger masts shall be used for larger conductors and longer spans. For corrosive conditions appropriate size stainless steel or bronze conduit or beam shall be permitted. If a stainless steel or bronze conduit is not listed the conduit shall contain some other approved wiring method or the wiring method shall be external to the conduit. A beside the building pole shall be spaced from basements for a horizontal distance of at 3 times the depth of the basement. Lag screw insulators and lag screw fastened insulator racks shall be premitted for auxiliary insulators provided that the lag screw penetrates at least 1.5 inches ( 38 millimeters ) into a structurally sound object. Lag shields that are shorter than 1.5 inches ( 38 millimeters ) shall be permitted provided that the tapered portion of the lag screw penetrates past the lag shield. Around-the-gutter and around-the-edge-of-the-roof masts with bends and/or conduit bodies shall not be permitted.
(F) Wire Bending Space at Fittings. Weatherheads and conduit bodies shall have sufficient wire bending space in accordance with section 312.6, manufacturer's data, and the listing of the fitting. Conductors shall be formed with a cable bending tool so that conductors will not be pressed against metallic and nonmetallic raceway walls, enclosures, and each other so as to prevent cold flow of insulation that would lead to a short circuit or ground fault.
(G) Instrument Rated Meter Sockets. Meter sockets that are for use with current transformers, voltage transformers, or both shall have all raceways and cables entering below the level of any test switches, circuit breakers, fuses, or any other live terminal or part. Where specified, raceway shall be connected to a piped drain or a lower enclosure that is arranged to drain. Raceways, conductors, and cables that originate above the meter shall be sealed against driving rain and water flow between wire strands. For exposed outdoor instrument transformer locations the instrument conductors shall pass through a weatherhead or gooseneck that is above all supply connections and the weatherhead or gooseneck shall be sealed against driving rain.
(H) Breakaway Protection. The final span of a service drop shall have breakaway mechanical and electrical connectors that will safely break and disconnect live voltages in the event of catastropic stress on the service drop such as a tree falling, ice overload, or a motor vehicle collision. A span the terminates at a beside the building pole shall have this protection. If a beside the building pole that is more than 6 feet ( 2 meters ) from a building overhead wiring shall have additional breakaway mechanical and electrical connectors for the span from the beside the building pole to the building. Breakaway protection shall be required after name a date.
4.) Reasoning and substantiation:
A. There are a lot of Keepers of Old Knowledge who are at least 30 years behind current National Electrical Code. Quite a few of them are placing weatherheads below the point of attachment without justification and otherwise doing things that can cause water to flow between wire strands blah blah blah. These people just do not realize why the weatherhead or gooseneck is to be normally be above the point of attachment or power source.
B. Insulated stranded wire that does not have a strand blocking compound is a poor excuse for a water hose. Compact stranded is an even poorer excuse for a water hose.
C. Applications that would benefit from stranded wire that does have strand blocking compound need to be recognized or even REQUIRED.
D. The 4 hurricanes in 2004 bring to light that driving rain can find its way through weatherheads and goosenecks. God goes after stuff with a pressure washer. Rain does not have to be horizontal to force its way into a weatherhead, just a few degrees from horizontal will do.
E. Every once in a while there is an overhead service over 600 volts!
F. Some practices that are required for safety reasons. For instance, a weatherhead that is on a power supplier's pole is often required to be MORE than 24 inches from the power source. Therfore, the present 230.54(C) Exception is nonsense. Requiring that the reason for putting the weatherhead below the point of attachment or power source be in writing will help weed out improper applications.
G. I have seen quite a few bogus services in Seven Hills, Ohio. Theses involve running a conduit around the gutter using an LB an a nipple to support the weather head without any support for the nipple. If an electrician is not enough of a carpenter to cut in a flashing for a through the roof mast he has no business installing an overhead service on a 1 story house.
H. Gratuituous lengths of open wiring instead of service cable or raceway on insulators needs to be minimized and discouraged. Open wiring is often over aluminum or vinyl siding. If a utility wants an extra long drip loop in case they want to refit with an electronic current transformer meter that is 1 thing just as long as it is done right. In some instances there needs to be enough spacing to allow service raceways to pass behind open wiring so that the weatherhead can be above the open wiring.
I. Lag screw insulators are sometimes screwed into plywood sheathing that is NOT the Code required thickness for mounting panelboards that are not subject to wind. In frequent instances they pass through 1 to 1.5 inches of foam insulation. A requirement for cross studs, flatwise or conventional, would also help.
J. I have not seen an instance where a lag screwed point of attachment will not pull out due to weather conditions or other calamity. Through bolts and threaded rods need to be standard practice.
K. Some jackass somewhere is going to complain that a through bolted point of attachment will tear down a house if a tree falls on it. Breakaway supply connectors would provide a deliberate weak point such that a failure is "innocuous". Breakaway connectors for highway signs and light poles do save lives and injuries. An equivalent requirement for service drops would increase safety and repairability by providing a controlled breaking point. When an irresistable force meets up with an immovable object something will break.
L. Water that is between wire strands can freeze and break insulation and some types of wire connectors.
M. Water between wire strands can also internally corrode the conductor. I have seen this in older installations.
N. There have been some instance where water has filled a meter socket and meter. I have also seen an instance where water entered holes in the upper service cable, dripped straight through a meter socket into the lower service cable, and then ran into the service panel. Operating some of the circuit breakers was quiter shocking. There is not a way for a construction method to cope with a water main break forcing its way into an underground service.
O. A service supply riser that uses a bushing instead of a weatherhead is more likely to leak water into service equipment. These installations normally do not have a drip loop. A conventional weatherhead or conduit gooseneck is impractical with an over 600 volt service that originates at a pole and a drip loop is NOT normally done with shielded high voltage cable. Therefore, any water that does enter the raceway needs to be intercepted before it gets into any enclosure that has live parts. I have seen an installation where water leaked past the required seal where an underground service ran into the basement. Requiring a substantial seal at the supply end will help.
P. A service does not have to withstand a water main break or an F4 or F5 tornado or equivalent disaster.
PS: I will clean up the spelling errors and capitalization this weekend!
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[ April 18, 2005, 12:59 AM: Message edited by: mc5w ]
