service drop clearance

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jetlag

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Eatonton, Georgia
I have a location wanting a service pole for a mobile home installed . It is considered farm land for agricultural use so code shows a clearance of 18 ft above ground for the service drop , and the poco has told owner that is clearance they want. I dont see how this applies up in the yard around the mobile home where there is grass planted. If I use a 20 ft pole 4 ft in ground it will be 16 ft on top where they attach the drop . poco pole is much taller and by the time the drop leaves the grassed area the drop will be over 20 ft. The reason I use 20 ft poles is that is the longest they sell around here unless you but a 40 ft one about 10" dia from the poco. Also 20 ft is the longest I can deliver on my service trailer. Ive seen lots of homes in the middle of farm land with a regular 12 ft high service mast on the house. From there they go to a tall poco pole outside of the yard area.
 
I hear you but unless you can get the poco to concede a bit you are probably stuck with having to get the longer pole.

I see your point about the section over the residential area. Not sure where you could draw that line. Ask the poco if you get the inspector to okay it would they do it. Good luck.

You may need to sub that part out.
 
Thanks Dennis

Thanks Dennis

I forgot to mention the yard area is fenced in about 100 x 100 ft. It seems like a big overkill to have 18 ft service drop clearance in there. I told the owner to recheck with the inspector and poco and call me back. If he says they want the 18 ft I will tell him to pay the poco to set the pole, I think they charge 375.00 , then I will come and build the service.
 
jetlag said:
I forgot to mention the yard area is fenced in about 100 x 100 ft. It seems like a big overkill to have 18 ft service drop clearance in there. I told the owner to recheck with the inspector and poco and call me back. If he says they want the 18 ft I will tell him to pay the poco to set the pole, I think they charge 375.00 , then I will come and build the service.
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If you have a hand book look at exihibit 230-22 and bring it with you to show whomever is involved.
 
By NESC code minimum, they are going to want 16 ft clearance for triplex over the driveway or area subject to any vehicle or rider taller than 8 ft (the sag will normally require an attachment height greater than 16 ft).

It is 15.5 for just the neutral, 16.5 ft for open wire services, and 18.5 ft for primary.

If the low point of the sag is beyond the service pole (in other words the wire rises only on the way to the utility pole), you may be able to get by with a 16 ft attachment point.

There are more specifics for different areas and conditions but the POCO should know about them as well.
 
mivey said:
...If the low point of the sag is beyond the service pole (in other words the wire rises only on the way to the utility pole...
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What I should have said:
...If the low point of the sag is close to the service pole (in other words the wire rises only on the way to the utility pole after it leaves the vicinity of the service pole)...
 
Not sure what's in the handbook so I'll throw this out there. Is it compliant to get a piece of flat stock, say 3/8 by 3 by 3 feet and bolt to the top of the pole to extend your clearance?
 
Tonybugs72 said:
Not sure what's in the handbook so I'll throw this out there. Is it compliant to get a piece of flat stock, say 3/8 by 3 by 3 feet and bolt to the top of the pole to extend your clearance?
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You could extend the pole top. The POCO would have to determine if it would be adequate to support the drop with appropriate safety factors built in. I don't think a 3/8 board would pass the test.
 
mivey said:
You could extend the pole top. The POCO would have to determine if it would be adequate to support the drop with appropriate safety factors built in. I don't think a 3/8 board would pass the test.
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I agree but what I meant by flat stock was steel:) A piece of angle iron would be a better choice though.
 
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Why would they not be able to atach to 2 inch rigid that gives you the extra 2 feet needed ?
I do see them going over kill to protect what they have likely seen happen in past. Bottom line is this has nothing to do with nec or county inspector. POCO is hard to beat
 
thanks jim

thanks jim

Jim W in Tampa said:
Why would they not be able to atach to 2 inch rigid that gives you the extra 2 feet needed ?
I do see them going over kill to protect what they have likely seen happen in past. Bottom line is this has nothing to do with nec or county inspector. POCO is hard to beat
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Ive have seen before on a building a piece of 2" rmc coming thru roof 4 ft with a pipe cap on top , the poco attached to this and then went to a weather head on another 2" rmc beside it that was 18" above roof. I dont see any difference in that and the pipe being on top of a pole do you
 
roy g

roy g

one thought is that utility requirments don't necessarily follow NEC, yet their requirments must be followed. I had an issue with coming out the back of 400 amp base into wireway. State inspector ok job, but utility wouldn't connect. when asked for reasons or code reference, reply was it was their policy. wireing met requirments for clearances, wire bending space, etc, Guess who won argument.
 
jetlag said:
I have a location wanting a service pole for a mobile home installed . It is considered farm land for agricultural use so code shows a clearance of 18 ft above ground for the service drop , and the poco has told owner that is clearance they want. I dont see how this applies up in the yard around the mobile home where there is grass planted. If I use a 20 ft pole 4 ft in ground it will be 16 ft on top where they attach the drop . poco pole is much taller and by the time the drop leaves the grassed area the drop will be over 20 ft. The reason I use 20 ft poles is that is the longest they sell around here unless you but a 40 ft one about 10" dia from the poco. Also 20 ft is the longest I can deliver on my service trailer. Ive seen lots of homes in the middle of farm land with a regular 12 ft high service mast on the house. From there they go to a tall poco pole outside of the yard area.
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Have you tried talking to the engineer at the POCO? I have found that they will often approve something other than what was originally specified. EG 18' Pole Instead of 20'.
 
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