Suggestions on replacing this service equip?

Status
Not open for further replies.
jjhoward

jjhoward

Senior Member
Location
Northern NJ
Occupation
Owner TJ Electric
Re: Suggestions on replacing this service equip?

JJ,

The link didn't work for me either. Regarding tying off the electrical service, I usually have a roll of nylon rope on the truck which I use to tie off services that I have to replace. If you inter-twine the rope between the triplex cable and make sure that the knots are good and tight you can tie it off to a tree, the chimney or anything else that will hold it while you install the mast. If you don't feel safe doing this have the POCO disconnect the triplex for you and either bring a generator with you or run extension cords to a neighbor's house for power to run your tools
 
Re: Suggestions on replacing this service equip?

Damn :mad: Not sure why that link isn't getting you folks to the pic.
Here it is again:
service mast I will probably need to move this thing up, I don't think it is 12 feet above the driveway.
Waiting/coordinating with the POCO is an option if the customer can wait 3 weeks or more.
 
Re: Suggestions on replacing this service equip?

Ok, thank you for your patience.
mast photo

Last try, here is the link again to this photo.
This is a little bungalow, new service (60 amp to 100 or 150) + a rewire of the entire inside, 3 bedrooms, lroom, kit + 1 bath.
What to do with that mast?
 
Re: Suggestions on replacing this service equip?

Ok, this one doesn't look like that big of a deal. Try using 2-1/2" rigid for the mast riser. Use a mast clamp that will be attached 6" below the weatherhead. attach #6 bare solid cu wire to the mast clamp, (hey I never thought about this but shouldn't we need to bond guy wires?), and run the bare #6 back to the new eye hook you will install thru the facia, and into the roof frame of the main structure. An appropriate stainless steel cable will also suffice to use as a mast guy wire.
 
Re: Suggestions on replacing this service equip?

From the picture I would throw a rope over the roof line and tie it off behind the house.

If you need more height make a letter 'A' to place on the roof out of 3 two by fours with the top over lapping to make a v that the rope will sit in.
 
Re: Suggestions on replacing this service equip?

I'm not sure why you'd want to put any special effort into holding the triplex drop while you work. If I have to think about it for more than a few minutes, I do one of two things. I either tape the ends up and lay it on the ground, or, if it passes over a street, roll it up and hang it off a nail on the side of the pole while I'm working.

[ September 04, 2005, 03:42 PM: Message edited by: mdshunk ]
 
Re: Suggestions on replacing this service equip?

Mdshunk, that sounds like a reasonable thing to do here. I just haven't done anything but left the triplex in place after I have cut it. I also prefer to be on my fiberglass ladder when cutting/splicing the triplex, but here I may be standing on that roof.
 
Re: Suggestions on replacing this service equip?

If I can, I will probably opt to keep the triplex suspended above the roof and driveway while I replace that mast. The less I have to handle the triplex, the better. I think iwire's suggestion will be what I will be doing there.
Mac, you are saying I need to run a #6 bare cu from the mast clamp to the eye hook that will be holding the mast back?
 
Re: Suggestions on replacing this service equip?

JJ. First sorry I misread the whole question, based on the subject heading. Mdshunk gave a good answer. If it crosses the street to a pole, try making a temp support of 2/4 lumber on your side of the street, then attach to that to keep it high over the street while you fix the new service. We are required by our poco to attach guy wires to support any mast that rises more than 30" from the roof. I sometimes use bare #6 run from mast guy to eye hook and then back to the mast guy. Stick in a screwdriver in the middle and spin the screw driver to spin the copper around each other. It spins up, looks good, and takes out the slack in the guy wire. But is the wire properly bonded?
 
Re: Suggestions on replacing this service equip?

Good tip Mac, thank you.
Is the wire properly bonded??
Yes, if the bonding at the panel is done correctly. The power supply return is that messenger wire which should be tied to your GEC in the box, true?
 
Re: Suggestions on replacing this service equip?

mdshunk, I'm not sure why you'd want to put any special effort into holding the triplex drop while you work. If I have to think about it for more than a few minutes, I do one of two things. I either tape the ends up and lay it on the ground, or, if it passes over a street, roll it up and hang it off a nail on the side of the pole while I'm working.
Click to expand...
That's exactly the way I think mdshunk.
 
Re: Suggestions on replacing this service equip?

If it has not been mentioned yet that triplex is alot heavier than you might think. Or so I hear. :eek:

Also, I would try to move the drop as little as possible not knowing what conditon the connection is at the other end. Wouldn't want to be the reason the neighborhood missed Jerry Springer.

[ September 04, 2005, 09:45 PM: Message edited by: electricmanscott ]
 
Re: Suggestions on replacing this service equip?

Originally posted by iwire:
Originally posted by electricmanscott:
If it has not been mentioned yet that triplex is alot heavier than you might think. Or so I hear. :p
Click to expand...
Ummm... you don't swag triplex up by hand. Any electrician that does much farm/ag work has hung miles of triplex by himself. I'm maybe 165 pounds, and addmittedly relatively weak. Use a lineman's block and a chicago grip like you're supposed to, and you'll have no trouble doing this by yourself. It's not that big of an accomplishment.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Suggestions on replacing this service equip?

Now that makes sense, I was trying to picture doing this by hand. :eek:

Many people do not realize how much tension it takes to pull the sag out of a cable.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top