The use of EMT as a service mast

[jaggedben]

In Cali the last 10' of the service risor needs to be a continuous piece of Rigid, anything before that could be Emt.

That's not in the California Electric Code. CEC is same as NEC. That sounds like a local interpretation of 230.38.
SF has more stringent rules, in fact they only allow rigid. Although that rule makes it a moot point, most SF houses actually don't have masts going through the eave (most houses don't have eaves) or even as high as the roof anyway. There are still plenty of drops supported by insulators attached to houses, although PG&E will probably replace them given the opportunity.

PG&E probably wouldn't attach to vertical MT mast anywhere either. (Well, at least, a project manager wouldn't approve it. The lineman probably wouldn't care.) Now, horizontal service riser sections, supported by the eave or roof or wall... Not sure if there's a written down rule in the Greenbook. They seem to care more about the size of the lags you use to attach the riser, although it's not clear if they care how much wood you put those lags into. (Drive 3/8" lags into 1/4" plywood and you may meet the letter of their requirements.)

Not that I would push the boundaries. Rigid is standard practice here and anyone would look at you funny if you tried to argue otherwise.

 

[kwired]

That's not in the California Electric Code. CEC is same as NEC. That sounds like a local interpretation of 230.38.
SF has more stringent rules, in fact they only allow rigid. Although that rule makes it a moot point, most SF houses actually don't have masts going through the eave (most houses don't have eaves) or even as high as the roof anyway. There are still plenty of drops supported by insulators attached to houses, although PG&E will probably replace them given the opportunity.

PG&E probably wouldn't attach to vertical MT mast anywhere either. (Well, at least, a project manager wouldn't approve it. The lineman probably wouldn't care.) Now, horizontal service riser sections, supported by the eave or roof or wall... Not sure if there's a written down rule in the Greenbook. They seem to care more about the size of the lags you use to attach the riser, although it's not clear if they care how much wood you put those lags into. (Drive 3/8" lags into 1/4" plywood and you may meet the letter of their requirements.)

Not that I would push the boundaries. Rigid is standard practice here and anyone would look at you funny if you tried to argue otherwise.

I've had overhead services with no eve yet not high enough wall to get the drop or attachment point high enough and used unistrut on the wall to attach RMC and extend it high enough to gain the needed clearance. Often there is still some slight overhang of the roofing over the wall so you either need to be able to bend an offset in your RMC or find ways to space the strut out from the wall the necessary distance to clear the edge of the roof.

 

[CaseyIEC]

Ive always thought the problem with using EMT as a riser is lack of a proper seal (or even a bond) at the threaded meter hub and RMC is used due to its tapered threads
Which brings up a question Ive wanted to ask many times: Where can I get a budget friendly 2" RMC threader? So I can utilize these worthless <5' pieces of RMC, that typically roll around in my van for months until I decide to pitch them

 

[kwired]

Ive always thought the problem with using EMT as a riser is lack of a proper seal (or even a bond) at the threaded meter hub and RMC is used due to its tapered threads
Which brings up a question Ive wanted to ask many times: Where can I get a budget friendly 2" RMC threader? So I can utilize these worthless <5' pieces of RMC, that typically roll around in my van for months until I decide to pitch them

Right place at the right time in some cases. Been many years ago now but I got Rigid brand threader head, reamer, and dies for 1/4 - 1" at an auction for maybe $30. Couldn't even purchase one the dies new for that price back then. This was an auction from a former carpenter and did not have very much for electricians or plumbers specialty tools so wasn't many there looking for such items like there would be at a auction of a former plumbing or electrical contracting business.

I ended up getting another set more recently with 2" threading handle and pretty good selection of dies as well as pipe vice/stand as a barter type thing from someone I was doing some work for, other stuff in that place ended up being in the offer as well, including an older arc welder. They took over a place and these items were there but not a part of their operations.

 

[norcal]

Only way I could see EMT allowed as a mast is if the PoCo allowed it, and that would not be likely as they have final say, SE cable is a code recognized method and not listed as a allowable method in PG&E's greenbook, or other PoCo's regs, here in CA your not going to see any services using SE cable unless they are from the 50's to early sixties or older. SE cable is not the subject here but using it as a example.