Splicing service entrance conductors

[jimmyh]

Quick question... I have a breaker panel that I have to move about a foot or so, and of course the service conductors aren't long enough. While I'd love to replace the conductors (to also upsize service), this is an impossibility due to the nature of how the service was run. So, is it a violation of code to splice a length of appropriately sized wire on to the existing conductors? I'd splice in a box, with approved connectors, and bond the box (if I used a metal box). So... am I violating NEC in any way by doing this? Thanks!

 

[jwelectric]

Re: Splicing service entrance conductors

230.33 Spliced Conductors.
Service-lateral conductors shall be permitted to be spliced or tapped in accordance with 110.14, 300.5(E), 300.13, and 300.15.

230.46 Spliced Conductors.
Service-entrance conductors shall be permitted to be spliced or tapped in accordance with 110.14, 300.5(E), 300.13, and 300.15.

Please don?t take offence at my next statement.

It seems to me that the lack of knowledge that you have displayed in the three post you have made and based on your profile you need to hire an electrician for this job.
It sounds as though you are wanting to upgrade the service you was talking about
here.

 

[GG]

Re: Splicing service entrance conductors

Even if you made the splice how were you planning on tieing them into the utilities service conductors? The utility are the only ones who are permitted to disconnect or reconnect the service drop conductors. If you try to reconnect the service conductors yourself and get hurt I dont think any insurance company is going to pay your medical bills when they ask how you got injured.

 

[jimmyh]

Re: Splicing service entrance conductors

jwelectric, no offense taken. I've installed new service entrances before that were all inspected, with absolutely no issues. Actually, the 200A I put in my house, I was told by the tility guy that did the reconnect that it was some of the neatest work he's ever seen. I ask the question since I want to double check myself instead of assuming I haven't missed a key point anywhere or have interpretted something incorrectly. I'm relatively familiar with the NEC, but because I don't do this every day, I always double check instead of assuming.

GG... I'll be pulling the meter when I do this. I'm not replacing/working on the drop, but will be working downstream of the meter (load side), but prior to any disconnects/fuse panel. I'm not one of those guys that rigs service entrances with jumper cables and is later found a crispy critter.

 

[charlie b]

Re: Splicing service entrance conductors

I am going to put an end to this discussion, at least temporarily. No matter what successes you may have enjoyed in past installations, you are not, as I understand, a licensed electrician. Forum rules prohibit us from providing "how-to" information to persons who are doing their own installation work at their own home, unless the person is a licensed electrician.

Our concern is that you may get only the answer to the question that you ask, and get no answer to the thousand other questions that you should have asked, but did not know that you needed to ask. The thousand of other questions are the ones that electricians, electrical engineers, and other professionals in the electrical industry would have known about, and would have understood the answers to, as part of their years of training. In your case, perhaps there are fewer unanswered questions of which you are, at present, unaware. But we cannot tell which those are.

?A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.? The Owner and Moderators of this Forum do not wish to risk allowing you and your family to be placed in danger, by giving you too little information. If you do not make your livelihood by doing the type of installation work you have described, then all we can do is to recommend you find someone who does.

If I have misinterpreted the situation, please send me a Private Message. I will then discuss the matter off-line with the other Moderators. We will decide collectively whether to re-open the discussion.