Point of Attachment, Edge of Bldg.

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Jerramundi

Jerramundi

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Chicago
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Licensed Residential Electrician
So, an interesting question come up in the course of reviewing some plans for an overhead service.

Does anyone know if the NEC specifies how far the point of attachment has to be from the edge of the building?
This is assuming all standard vertical and horizontal clearances (e.g. vertical clearance requires the POA to be moved inward 3 ft, etc.) have been met.

I've never really encountered it as a potential issue before. It's either on the riser itself or there's always been plenty of building to work with.
I feel like a minimum of "3 bricks" should be required as an explicit metric, haha.

Again, POA from edge of building....

Thoughts?
 
I've only had an inspector look at the point of attachment if it had to go over a roof to get their. Or, of course a mast. Otherwise like K8 said it's on the power company.
You do have 110.12 and for ''equipment'' 110.13 (A) even mentions masonry.
 
infinity said:
What's your concern the strength of the material it's connected to? You mentioned bricks.
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Essentially yes. It just popped in my head that being too close to the edge of building would possibly reduce the available resistance to tension.
In other words, just being a few bricks away from the edge, even though I utilize anchors with a 1,000 lb. pull out strength, might not achieve their full rating if too close to the edge.
 
K8MHZ said:
I think that's more of a POCO concern than an NEC one.
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Probably. I've looked into the POCO requirements and they specify min. sizes for bolts and a min. resistance of 1,000 lbs... but nowhere does it give an actual distance from the edge/corner of the building.

I've worked for guys that use 1/4" Tapcons and guys that use heavy-duty galvanized lag screws. I go for the lag screws myself. But again, never really came up that a lag shield too close to the edge might not achieve its' full fating.

Just curious more from like an engineering perspective. I feel like 6" from the edge is a good number, but it's pulled completely out of my..
 
I agree with you. That seems to close. The only reason I could see to be that close is if they drilled all the way through the bricks and screwed it into the wood.
 
Around here Poco requires a 5/8 through bolt with a double nut and washers on the inside. What I usually do is put a double 2x6 across a stud bay ,, pretty solid
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Nothing in the NEC. POCO May have requirements , IE if they want a snuggle plate, the structure will determine its mounting, which may be 3 bricks
 
Jerramundi said:
So, an interesting question come up in the course of reviewing some plans for an overhead service.

Does anyone know if the NEC specifies how far the point of attachment has to be from the edge of the building?
This is assuming all standard vertical and horizontal clearances (e.g. vertical clearance requires the POA to be moved inward 3 ft, etc.) have been met.

I've never really encountered it as a potential issue before. It's either on the riser itself or there's always been plenty of building to work with.
I feel like a minimum of "3 bricks" should be required as an explicit metric, haha.

Again, POA from edge of building....

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Beyond that included in 230 no additional reference just related to the corner of building found, POCO may have something. If mast is not penetrating the roof, think of the structure behind the brick as the actual attachment point (bolt long enough to go thru the brick and underlayment). The brick is just a skin with very little lateral strength to support something that will be pulling it away from the house. Your comment of 3 bricks in night not be to far off.
 
nickelec said:
Around here Poco requires a 5/8 through bolt with a double nut and washers on the inside. What I usually do is put a double 2x6 across a stud bay ,, pretty solid

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Our PoCo has similar requirements, but allows for the use of an I-Plate. That's what I've always seen. What I've always done. I'm pulling the "too stubborn to change" card, lol. And if it has to be done, then well
 
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Jerramundi said:
So, an interesting question come up in the course of reviewing some plans for an overhead service.

Does anyone know if the NEC specifies how far the point of attachment has to be from the edge of the building?
This is assuming all standard vertical and horizontal clearances (e.g. vertical clearance requires the POA to be moved inward 3 ft, etc.) have been met.

I've never really encountered it as a potential issue before. It's either on the riser itself or there's always been plenty of building to work with.
I feel like a minimum of "3 bricks" should be required as an explicit metric, haha.

Again, POA from edge of building....

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
I would say as long as it meets the window, door, stairs, etc requirement anything goes.
From a structural POV, installed in the corner post would be the strongest IMO.
Three 8” bricks in would probably miss a stud unless your lucky 🤔
 
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