question about nec 551.77(d) and 551.80(a)

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germainj

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lower florida keys
Any help with this issue will be greatly appreciated.
An RV park down here in the Keys is having corrosion issues with there pedistals. The electrical inspector is siting code 551-77(d) and saying the existing pedistals are not compliant because the terminals are below the required 24". I find it hard to believe because I spoke to a rep from Milbank and they don't make a direct burial pedistal with the lugs above 16". Also, he is requiring new conductors to be pulled to the pedistals, siting code 551-80(a), all conductors shall be continuous from equipment to equipment, not allowing for any splices below the 24" rule of 551-77(d). If 551-77(d) doesn't apply I can buy new lugs and buses for the old pedistal and I won't have to pull new wires because the connection won't have to be raised up. This would save my customer a considerable amount of money not having to potentially rebuild all of the electric for around 41 pedestals with new connections and conductors. Thanks in advance with any help.
 
i guess my main question is , is the inspectors interpitation correct , no live parts below 24 inches, and if that is true how can milbank and midwest make direct burial rv pedestals that are not code compliant. thanks for any help.
 
germainj said:
Any help with this issue will be greatly appreciated.
An RV park down here in the Keys is having corrosion issues with there pedestals. The electrical inspector is siting code 551-77(d) and saying the existing pedestals are not compliant because the terminals are below the required 24". I find it hard to believe because I spoke to a rep from Milbank and they don't make a direct burial pedestal with the lugs above 16". Also, he is requiring new conductors to be pulled to the pedestals, siting code 551-80(a), all conductors shall be continuous from equipment to equipment, not allowing for any splices below the 24" rule of 551-77(d). If 551-77(d) doesn't apply I can buy new lugs and buses for the old pedestal and I won't have to pull new wires because the connection won't have to be raised up. This would save my customer a considerable amount of money not having to potentially rebuild all of the electric for around 41 pedestals with new connections and conductors. Thanks in advance with any help.
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I have worked on many RV parks and I have never seen a site pedestal with the double lugs that high, except for some home made stuff with meters sticking up at the top out of the disconnect or park panel.


germainj said:
i guess my main question is , is the inspectors interpretation correct , no live parts below 24 inches, and if that is true how can milbank and Midwest make direct burial rv pedestals that are not code compliant. thanks for any help.
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As far as the inspector goes, he is wrongly applying the intent and or section of code, which is to keep the equipment serving the site above 24" not live parts, but there is another section that he could enforce if there is a datum plane because of a body of water near by, see 682.2 That one might get ya, which would require you to stay 24" above the highest tide.


As far as him saying all conductors shall be continuous from equipment to equipment, not allowing for any splices below the 24" rule of 551-77(d).

He needs to keep reading as it clearly allows splicing with the proper type of water proof DB splice kit, I use them all the time, see below in red:

551.80 Underground Service, Feeder, Branch-Circuit,
and Recreational Vehicle Site Feeder-Circuit Conductors.
(A) General. All direct-burial conductors, including the
equipment grounding conductor if of aluminum, shall be
insulated and identified for the use. All conductors shall be
continuous from equipment to equipment. All splices and
taps shall be made in approved junction boxes or by use of
material listed and identified for the purpose.
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As far as corrosion goes, about the only thing you can do is protect all connection points with silicone grease/dielectric grease, coat connections throughly, the aluminum buss will get a white powder on it which is fine and will help to protect it, but for connections this white power is not good and provides a high resistance path, anti-oxidant is fine if you wish to re coat connections every couple years, as it gets dried out and becomes hard and looses it's protection ability, done allot of work down there for my dad on Key Largo at his place and salt water is a bear, and so are Monroe county inspectors, as was Dade county.

Try asking the state, we used to be able to get the state to over ride local inspectors back when Gram was governor?
 
FWIW-Milbank makes extensions for their ped's. Used to have to use them when POCO required meters at 4" above grade for snow depth. (Don't live THERE anymore.)
 
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