conductors considered outside of the house.

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wireman3736

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Vermont/Mass.
I have a house i'm getting ready to wire and I was going to install the meter socket on the garage exterior wall away from the house, The plan was to bring the underground into the meter socket, then I was going to come back out and go underground and 90 around the front of the garage and into the basement where I would install my main panel and disconnect, the garage sits back from the front of the house about 4'. This is still being debated with the power company and there's a question as to weather this is even there call after the socket, I'm going to discuss this with the local inspector but since owner occupied single family dwellings don't fall under a state inspection maybe the power company has the final call on this. Anyway my question is are these considered service entrance conductors outside of the building, I believe yes, same set of conductors as before the meter in my opinion. just looking for other opinions. Some may say why not just put a meter breaker combo and be done with it, well because the customer thinks there big and ugly on the side of there house and isn't the customer always right.:rolleyes:
 
wireman3736 said:
. . . isn't the customer always right.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
We'll find out! :)

Personally, my concern would be with how much of those after-meter conductors would be within the house; none if the conduit enters directly into the panel.

Two points to keep in mind: conduit burial depth below the driveway, and water-sealing the penetration in the foundation wall.
 
I once had the same situation as yours. The way I was able to get around not using a main breaker meter socket was to install the conduit through the garage floor before the concrete was poured. The inspector thought there was no way that a conduit under 4 inches of concrete inside a building would ever need short circuit or overcurrent protection. The conduit ran from the meter socket through the garage floor to a main breaker panel in the basement directly opposite the garage. The house foundation was poured around the conduit also. Most of the time the foundation and floor are already poured before you start, but this job was very well thought out before any concrete was poured. I can not answer your question for certain but I would think that you would have to protect your wire run with overcurrent protection even if you cover the trench with 4 inches of concrete. In the future someone might install some type of drainage system along the perimiter of the house. If a backhoe digs into that conduit, you need a circuit breaker to trip.
 
Just comply with 230.6 and the show the POCO you have.

Roger
 
the reason I can't meet what it says in 230.6 is because the garage floor is already been poured. this conduit that I propose would come in under the panel and turn up into it., 4' of wire will probably be it. Vermont allows a max of 10' of total wire in the building. I just don't see the difference between the wires before the meter or the wires after the meter, there both underground. I think 230.6 is stating individual installations that are considered outside the building that actually go under or through which some may feel are inside. You can run seu 30' across the building and then in but the 30' is considered outside. 230.70(A)1, states the disconnect shall be installed outside or inside nearest the point of entrance, well 4' is pretty close.
 
Wire, I firmly believe that your proposed installation is compliant. Outside the house is outside the house. If you're still concerned, pour a bit of concrete above the conduit.
 
I have to agree, it's the power company giving me the hard time and I don't think it's there call, I have to meet the inspector on tuesday and I'll get his thoughts.
 
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