service wire inside the building?

[stew]

I have a panel replacement to do next week. In WA we are allowed to have 15 ft of serfice conductor inside the building without protection Heres the scenario, From the meter base there is exixting 2 inch rigid condout going down th wal into the sidewalk all concrete and then it goes under or possibly thru the foundation and is buried within the crawl space. There is a nearly full basement ,actually an old bomb shelter constructed in the 50's, There is a retaining wall in the back of this basement about 4 ft high where the basement ends and the crawl space starts. The rigid conduit is buried in the crawl space and only about 2 ft of it emerges at a slight angle into the existing panel. Is in your guys opininion this wire within the building? If so I would then need a disconnect to meet current code.It will be difficult to install a disconnect due to the fact that there is rigid into the sidewalk slab. Not impossible of course but costly and difficult . Am I "inside the building "when in a burried conduit in the crawl.? About a 20 ft run I would estimate.

 

[LarryFine]

Am I "inside the building "when in a burried conduit in the crawl?

('02 NEC):
230.6 Conductors Considered Outside the Building.
Conductors shall be considered outside of a building or other structure under any of the following conditions:
(1) Where installed under not less than 50 mm (2 in.) of concrete beneath a building or other structure
(2) Where installed within a building or other structure in a raceway that is encased in concrete or brick not less than 50 mm (2 in.) thick
(3) Where installed in any vault that meets the construction requirements of Article 450, Part III
(4) Where installed in conduit and under not less than 450 mm (18 in.) of earth beneath a building or other structure

 

[hillbilly]

Sackrete to the rescue. IMO...If you bury all but the last 2' of it in concrete (min 2" thick) it will be considered outside. That last 2' is less than the 15' maximum allowed inside, so you're good to go.
steve

 

[sparky59]

service wire inside the building

service wire inside the building

I have a question stew.... .does the 15 ft. of service entrance that you're allowed inside the building have to be in conduit?

 

[LarryFine]

. . . does the 15 ft. of service entrance that you're allowed inside the building have to be in conduit?

For parts 2 and 4 above, the answer is yes.

 

[stew]

does not have to be in conduit. SEU is ok as far as I know. Thanks for the code quote. I forgot where to find it. this conduit is at least 18 inches burial depth except for the las 2 or so feet so I think I am good to go unless an inspector wants me to prove the burial depth of the exisiting. I guess the worst that could happen is he could make me put in a disconnect, Thanks guys.