Electrical Service

[JdoubleU]

How do you define an electrical service? In Oregon a limited maintenance electrician is not allowed to work on a service. My question is when is it not a service and when is it a service. I had heard that a service is a point at which the utility and the owner connect. Would a good example of this in residential application be at the meter and in a commercial application be at the transformer.

 

[al hildenbrand]

How do you define an electrical service? In Oregon a limited maintenance electrician is not allowed to work on a service. My question is when is it not a service and when is it a service. I had heard that a service is a point at which the utility and the owner connect. Would a good example of this in residential application be at the meter and in a commercial application be at the transformer.

The National Electric Code, in Article 100 Definitions, has eleven different terms, all beginning with the word "service" that will add to your call for a "definition". But the most salient one, for your immediate posted question is probably:

Service Equipment. The necessary equipment, usually consisting of a circuit breaker(s) or switch(es) and fuse(s) and their accessories, connected to the load end of service conductors to a building or other structure, or an otherwise designated area, and intended to constitute the main control and cutoff of the supply.

 

[meternerd]

Here in POCO land, most utilities consider anything ahead of the "Service Disconnect" the service. Usually behind a sealed cover. The service disconnect and beyond is customer equipment. The weird thing "maybe" is that we consider the meter can and associated wiring a service, even though it is owned and installed by the customer. Usually only the meter (or CT's) belongs to the POCO, and that cost is usually included in the "facilities fee". "Unmetered" is the key to our definition.