Service height requirements

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FASTLANE

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Elizabethtown KY
I have been wiring a personal garage for myself and it failed inspection today for the sevice being to low. We are currently still using the 05 code book. The garage is sunk in a embankment 4 feet to ground level from ground level I am 14.5 feet to the top of the service mast, about 25 feet out from the garage there is probably a 3 foot sweel of the ground but the pole is right at 100 feet away i think the pole is probably 25 feet above ground. From what i take from the code this should be fine what is your opinion. The inspector also said the back of the building was placed to low it is almost 6 feet off the ground to the back of the roof, does anyone know what that has to do with the service i cant find anything about that in the code book any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
 
Did you ask your inspector exactly what code section he was failing you on?

You need to be 12' over residential property and driveways, 18' over public streets, alleys, roads, etc...
 
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Thank you all for your replys i didnt use a latteral like i wanted to because all the ground in the area is rock i wounld prefer it under ground. I have not talked to the inspector yet it was already after 5 when i found out from my wife. Could it be something to do with the recc that was in what he told my wife about the rear roof height being only 6 feet
 
I'm not sure if I understand or not, is the service on the garage?

It's not an NEC requirement, but our local POCO requires the center of the meter be a minimum of 4'-0" and a maximum of 6'-3" above grade.

Your inspector may know this and that is what he is citing.
 
I talked to him today and the only thing he said was wrong is that the back of the building is to low. The meter socket is centered at 6 foot. He said the recc was the ones that have the problem with it, i talked to the engineer at the recc and he said the service mast was redily accessible. His implied situation was what if someone leaves a lawn mower parked back there and a kid climbs on the mower then onto roof and messes with the service. In my opinion being on a roof is not redily accessible, when you would have to stand on something to climb up there. Can they refuse to connect the service over his opinion, or how does this work. The inspector says there is nothing that he can fail it for it all meets the code requirements.
 
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Thats what i am saying someone could leave a ladder out anywhere and someone could climb on a roof. Another question for someone the engineer for the recc said my mast was too tall above the roof he said it is 42 inches the the top of the weather head and it could only be 40 inches where is that in the code book he said it was there but could not tell me what article i have searched the service section and i canot find a specific measurment am i overlooking it.
 
FASTLANE said:
Thats what i am saying someone could leave a ladder out anywhere and someone could climb on a roof. Another question for someone the engineer for the recc said my mast was too tall above the roof he said it is 42 inches the the top of the weather head and it could only be 40 inches where is that in the code book he said it was there but could not tell me what article i have searched the service section and i canot find a specific measurment am i overlooking it.
Click to expand...

Mast height is up to your POCO, they can put a limit on it...
 
FASTLANE said:
Thats what i am saying someone could leave a ladder out anywhere and someone could climb on a roof. Another question for someone the engineer for the recc said my mast was too tall above the roof he said it is 42 inches the the top of the weather head and it could only be 40 inches where is that in the code book he said it was there but could not tell me what article i have searched the service section and i canot find a specific measurment am i overlooking it.
Click to expand...

Try these NEC. 230.16, 230.17, 230.24b, 230.22, 230.26, 230.26-28
Get your self the NEC code hand book. It has excellent diagrams.:cool:
 
buckofdurham said:
Try these NEC. 230.16, 230.17, 230.24b, 230.22, 230.26, 230.26-28
Get your self the NEC code hand book. It has excellent diagrams.:cool:
Click to expand...

None of those sections apply here.

The NEC does not apply to utility owned overhead conductors.

See 90.2(B)(5)(a)
 
FASTLANE said:
I talked to him today and the only thing he said was wrong is that the back of the building is to low. The meter socket is centered at 6 foot. He said the recc was the ones that have the problem with it, i talked to the engineer at the recc and he said the service mast was redily accessible. His implied situation was what if someone leaves a lawn mower parked back there and a kid climbs on the mower then onto roof and messes with the service. In my opinion being on a roof is not redily accessible, when you would have to stand on something to climb up there. Can they refuse to connect the service over his opinion, or how does this work. The inspector says there is nothing that he can fail it for it all meets the code requirements.
Click to expand...

"What if's" shouldn't count. There is a popular ranch design around here where the garage roof pitches back to almost ground level to provide a boatload of quasi-shed storage space. But it's still a roof, not a deck or a patio.
 
accessibility is not the issue. Our POCO here clearance requirements above a roof. They consider a 3:12 pitch to be a walkable surface though they only require 12" of clearance. They do have a minimum of 10' required above finished grade.
 
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