On Wed, 11 May 2016 15:08:09 -0400, wrote:

that bears the weight of the service wire?
In most cases the owner/electrician is "responsible for" the stack
(or mast) and the "weatherhead". The "service bracket" generally
attaches to the "mast" and the tension cable, carrier, or whatever you
want to call it attaches to that.

On a gable end installation where the mast does not protrude above the
roof, a 3/8" eye bolt is henerally specified to take the tension
cable, and is normally notated as "customer supplied"

However, your line-man was responsible for installing the cable, and
to "cover his ass" he made sure the cable was attatched to something
substantial so he could not be blamed for the cable coming down in the
future.

So yes, he was "being a nice guy" - the option was to refuse to
install the service cable untill the eye bolt was installed, meaning
another trip back, and the customer calling him a "prick" or worse.

There are still SOME service people who don't make "service" a "4
letter word".

Considering the high cost of electricity these days, combined with the
monthly "meter rental" price, it would be an advantage to the power
companies to get the wires installed as quickly as possible, and no
reason they cant bill the homeowner for a simple $2 eye bolt. But these
days everything is based on black and while rules, with no gray areas,
and no concern for the needs of the customer! As an electrical customer,
you are nothing but a number. That's the customer ID on your bill!