Does the public utility's responsibility end at:

* the electric meter
* the main breaker in the electric panel box
* the individual branch circuit breakers in the panel box.

On 05/10/2016 02:20 PM, GARYWC wrote:

Does the public utility's responsibility end at:

* the electric meter
* the main breaker in the electric panel box
* the individual branch circuit breakers in the panel box.



None of the above. It ends at the input junction at the end of their
wiring. That includes the junction itself and the wiring back to the pole.


The only thing they are responsible for on the customer side of the
junction is the meter itself.

In ,
philo typed:
On 05/10/2016 02:20 PM, GARYWC wrote:

Does the public utility's responsibility end at:

* the electric meter
* the main breaker in the electric panel box
* the individual branch circuit breakers in the panel box.

None of the above. It ends at the input junction at the end of their
wiring. That includes the junction itself and the wiring back to the
pole.
The only thing they are responsible for on the customer side of the
junction is the meter itself.

That's how it is where I am located (in New Jersey). It may be different
where the OP is located, and maybe if the OP stated where he/she is located
and/or the electric utility company there, someone else here would know the
answer for his/her location.

Isn't "...The only thing they are responsible for...is the meter itself" the same as "the public utility's responsibility ends at...the electric meter?".

GARYWC asked: "Isn't "...The only thing they are responsible for...is the meter itself" the same as "the public utility's
responsibility ends at...the electric meter?".


No.

What he was saying is that customer responsibility extends to
and ends where the wires from their house connect to the
pole/wires above the street. Since the only practical place
for the meter, physically, is on the residential exterior, that
is where meter reads must be done - unless that community
has migrated to wireless drive-by reads.

On Tue, 10 May 2016 12:20:04 -0700 (PDT), GARYWC
wrote:


Does the public utility's responsibility end at:

* the electric meter
* the main breaker in the electric panel box
* the individual branch circuit breakers in the panel box.

It is called the service point and typically that will be the crimps
where an overhead drop connects at the drip loop or at the street in
the case of a service lateral. You own the wire coming down the side
of the house and the meter socket but they own the meter and they have
common carrier power to seal the meter can.

On 05/10/2016 03:23 PM, wrote:
GARYWC asked: "Isn't "...The only thing they are responsible for...is the meter itself" the same as "the public utility's
responsibility ends at...the electric meter?".


No.

What he was saying is that customer responsibility extends to
and ends where the wires from their house connect to the
pole/wires above the street. Since the only practical place
for the meter, physically, is on the residential exterior, that
is where meter reads must be done - unless that community
has migrated to wireless drive-by reads.




Well said:

An electrician would have put the conduit and wiring in-place and their
wiring is not the responsibility of the power company.


Unless you see a loose wire dangling in the air...if you have a problem,
an electrician should be called.

On 5/10/16 4:12 PM, GARYWC wrote:
Isn't "...The only thing they are responsible for...is the meter itself" the same as "the public utility's responsibility ends at...the electric meter?".


Not necessarily.

In CT, here is how our power co defines it for overhead service

https://www.eversource.com/Content/c...ment-ownership

On Tue, 10 May 2016 16:24:24 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 10 May 2016 12:20:04 -0700 (PDT), GARYWC
wrote:


Does the public utility's responsibility end at:

* the electric meter
* the main breaker in the electric panel box
* the individual branch circuit breakers in the panel box.

It is called the service point and typically that will be the crimps
where an overhead drop connects at the drip loop or at the street in
the case of a service lateral. You own the wire coming down the side
of the house and the meter socket but they own the meter and they have
common carrier power to seal the meter can.

When I was a working electrician, we installed the "Service Entrance".
That was the entrance HEAD, to the meter box (socket), and then to the
breaker box. (And of course all the wiring in the building iteself).
When we completed a job, we left around 3 feet of wire hanging from the
entrance head. After the job was inspected, the power company came and
ran the overhead wires from the pole to these wires at the entrance
head, and crimped them together. Then they installed the meter in the
meter socket and turned on the power.

So, the customers responsibility ended at the "service entrance head",
(except the Power Co. installed and sealed the meter itself). It was
always the same in all locations (in the USA).

I never ran into any underground service feeds, (they were not common in
my area back in the 1970's-80's), so I cant comment on that, except that
I would guess that the electrician installs the conduit from the meter
box into the ground, and the power Co. installs the underground wire up
into the meter box. (I could be wrong on that, since I never had to do
it).

Also, all grounding rods and connections are installed by the
electrician at the house location.

On 5/10/16 4:35 PM, Retired wrote:
On 5/10/16 4:12 PM, GARYWC wrote:
Isn't "...The only thing they are responsible for...is the meter
itself" the same as "the public utility's responsibility ends
at...the electric meter?".


Not necessarily.

In CT, here is how our power co defines it for overhead service

https://www.eversource.com/Content/c...ment-ownership




In MA, if underground, homeowner is also responsible for the
underground wires from house to nearest transformer. Ouch !

https://www9.nationalgridus.com/non_...yours-ours.pdf

On Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 4:42:09 PM UTC-4, Retired wrote:
On 5/10/16 4:35 PM, Retired wrote:
On 5/10/16 4:12 PM, GARYWC wrote:
Isn't "...The only thing they are responsible for...is the meter
itself" the same as "the public utility's responsibility ends
at...the electric meter?".


Not necessarily.

In CT, here is how our power co defines it for overhead service

https://www.eversource.com/Content/c...ment-ownership




In MA, if underground, homeowner is also responsible for the
underground wires from house to nearest transformer. Ouch !

https://www9.nationalgridus.com/non_...yours-ours.pdf

I was wondering about that too. I have underground service and I
would assume that I'm responsible for it up to some point near the
street.

On Tue, 10 May 2016 12:20:04 -0700 (PDT), GARYWC
wrote:


Does the public utility's responsibility end at:

* the electric meter
* the main breaker in the electric panel box
* the individual branch circuit breakers in the panel box.

I think it ends at the lamp or the toaster.

On Tue, 10 May 2016 13:23:07 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

unless that community
has migrated to wireless drive-by reads.

The new meters are wi-fi reads. They have a hub up on the pole every
block or so and it polls each meter constantly throughout the day. I
can get a report of my usage by the hour on the company web site.

On Tue, 10 May 2016 18:46:52 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
wrote:

On Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 4:42:09 PM UTC-4, Retired wrote:
On 5/10/16 4:35 PM, Retired wrote:
On 5/10/16 4:12 PM, GARYWC wrote:
Isn't "...The only thing they are responsible for...is the meter
itself" the same as "the public utility's responsibility ends
at...the electric meter?".


Not necessarily.

In CT, here is how our power co defines it for overhead service

https://www.eversource.com/Content/c...ment-ownership




In MA, if underground, homeowner is also responsible for the
underground wires from house to nearest transformer. Ouch !

https://www9.nationalgridus.com/non_...yours-ours.pdf

I was wondering about that too. I have underground service and I
would assume that I'm responsible for it up to some point near the
street.

Typically where it enters the right of way J box

philo wrote:
On 05/10/2016 03:23 PM, wrote:
GARYWC asked: "Isn't "...The only thing they are responsible
for...is the meter itself" the same as "the public utility's
responsibility ends at...the electric meter?". No.

What he was saying is that customer responsibility extends to
and ends where the wires from their house connect to the
pole/wires above the street. Since the only practical place
for the meter, physically, is on the residential exterior, that
is where meter reads must be done - unless that community
has migrated to wireless drive-by reads.




Well said:

An electrician would have put the conduit and wiring in-place and
their wiring is not the responsibility of the power company.


Unless you see a loose wire dangling in the air...if you have a
problem, an electrician should be called.

When we built our house the electric company set three poles and ran wire
some 200 yards to the last. They then ran an underground drop from the last
pole/transformer to our house where they mounted the meter. I figure all
that is their responsibility.

I had overhead service from a pole on the edge of my yard to the weatherhead on my last house.

Having lost the overhead line twice in storms, I asked the electric utility if they could put it underground.

They said sure, they would install it, but I would pay the cost, which was pretty steep. So I offered to dig the trench for them and get everything ready, all they had to do was connect the wire, they said that would cost double. Something about Contribution In Aid to Construction tax liability.

I gave up.

May wrote:
"- show quoted text -
It is called the service point and typically that will be the crimps
where an overhead drop connects at the drip loop or at the street in
the case of a service lateral. You own the wire coming down the side
of the house and the meter socket but they own the meter and they have
common carrier power to seal the meter can. "

Which begs the question: Who owns the flight from
top of the house to the wires above the street?

On 05/11/2016 07:23 AM, TimR wrote:
I had overhead service from a pole on the edge of my yard to the weatherhead on my last house.

Having lost the overhead line twice in storms, I asked the electric utility if they could put it underground.

They said sure, they would install it, but I would pay the cost, which was pretty steep. So I offered to dig the trench for them and get everything ready, all they had to do was connect the wire, they said that would cost double. Something about Contribution In Aid to Construction tax liability.

I gave up.



Infuriating but probably due to the legal system...not necessarily the
POCO being stubborn.

On Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at 8:51:10 AM UTC-4, wrote:
May wrote:
"- show quoted text -
It is called the service point and typically that will be the crimps
where an overhead drop connects at the drip loop or at the street in
the case of a service lateral. You own the wire coming down the side
of the house and the meter socket but they own the meter and they have
common carrier power to seal the meter can. "

Which begs the question: Who owns the flight from
top of the house to the wires above the street?

Not sure what the issue there is, as the above paragraph say, the
overhead service wire from the house masthead to the street is
owned by the utility. At least that's the usual case, there might
be some exceptions, somewhere.

I had overhead service from a pole on the edge of my yard to the
weatherhead on my last house.
Having lost the overhead line twice in storms, I asked the electric
utility if they could put it underground.
They said sure, they would install it, but I would pay the cost, which
was pretty steep. So I offered to dig the trench for them and get
everything ready, all they had to do was connect the wire, they said
that would cost double. Something about Contribution In Aid to
Construction tax liability. I gave up.

I have installed several underground service entrances, at my home in the
country, and at my in-laws in the city. In both cases I had to take care of
all the wiring on the property, the power company just made the final
connection and installed the meter.

My home is on rural property out in the country. Our meter is mounted on a
pole out at the road, then a cable runs down to an in-ground junction box.
From there we have separate underground feeds running to the breaker panels
in each of our separate buildings (pumphouse, detached garage, house). It
was our responsibility to dig the trenches, purchase the cable and install
it in the trench, connect the cable to the breaker panel on our end, and
leave enough slack at the junction box for the power company to make the
connection. Once the electrical inspector approved the installation, we
backfilled the trench and the power company came out and made the
connection.

The power company supplied the pole at the road, the in-ground junction
boxes, and the transformer/cable that comes overhead across the road. We
had to supply the meter base, conduit to run up and down the pole, the rain
cap at the top, and all wiring on our property.

The installation at my in-laws house was similar except their meter base
mounted to the side of their house. We still had to install the base, dig
the trench, run the cable out to the in-ground transformer, and get it all
inspected. Once we buried the trench, the power company connected the cable
to the transformer and installed the meter.

It's important to note that the power company won't connect the power until
the inspector approves the installation and the breaker panel is covered.

Anthony Watson
www.watsondiy.com
www.mountainsoftware.com

Retired wrote: "In CT, here is how our power co defines
it for overhead service "

That makes the most sense. Although
in some communities customer
ownership does include the overhead
drop extending to the poles & wires.

On Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 4:24:32 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Tue, 10 May 2016 12:20:04 -0700 (PDT), GARYWC
wrote:


Does the public utility's responsibility end at:

* the electric meter
* the main breaker in the electric panel box
* the individual branch circuit breakers in the panel box.

It is called the service point and typically that will be the crimps
where an overhead drop connects at the drip loop or at the street in
the case of a service lateral. You own the wire coming down the side
of the house and the meter socket but they own the meter and they have
common carrier power to seal the meter can.

I'm going to muddy the waters a little ask a different question:

Who is responsible for the actual connection device that is attached to the
house? i.e. the standoff and the support cable? The reason I ask is this:

A few years ago an ice event pulled the wires off of my house and damaged
some of the vinyl siding. The standoff/insulator that got ripped out
had been screwed through the vinyl siding and into the original clap-board
siding of the house. This left a large hole in the siding.

When the utility company came to drop the service wires so I could replace
the siding, the first thing the guy did was screw a new standoff through the
trim board just below the eave, so that it was actually screwed into a rafter.
This was a much more secure connection to the house.

I was thankful that he did it, but also surprised. Was he just being a nice
guy or is the utility also responsible for the standoff and support cable
that bears the weight of the service wire?

On Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at 11:15:17 AM UTC-4, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 4:24:32 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Tue, 10 May 2016 12:20:04 -0700 (PDT), GARYWC
wrote:


Does the public utility's responsibility end at:

* the electric meter
* the main breaker in the electric panel box
* the individual branch circuit breakers in the panel box.

It is called the service point and typically that will be the crimps
where an overhead drop connects at the drip loop or at the street in
the case of a service lateral. You own the wire coming down the side
of the house and the meter socket but they own the meter and they have
common carrier power to seal the meter can.

I'm going to muddy the waters a little ask a different question:

Who is responsible for the actual connection device that is attached to the
house? i.e. the standoff and the support cable? The reason I ask is this:


I don't think there's a definite answer here. I think it depends on your local utility.

On the campus with many buildings where I work, there is a term called "point of demarcation" in the contract we have with local utility. Per contract, the point of demarcation is "typically" the service disconnect, or the 5 foot from building line, or or or. Some of the time it is pretty gray.

On Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 4:35:58 PM UTC-4, Retired wrote:
On 5/10/16 4:12 PM, GARYWC wrote:
Isn't "...The only thing they are responsible for...is the meter itself" the same as "the public utility's responsibility ends at...the electric meter?".


Not necessarily.

In CT, here is how our power co defines it for overhead service

https://www.eversource.com/Content/c...ment-ownership

That's interesting. That document states that the customer owns and maintains
the Clevis (House Knob).

In my (non-CT) situation (described in an earlier post) my utility installed
a new house knob for me as part of a disconnect/reconnect so I could repair
my siding. My house knob had been ripped out by an ice-event and they installed
a new one in a more secure location without my even asking. I'm not
complaining, not at all.

On Wed, 11 May 2016 08:30:44 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 4:35:58 PM UTC-4, Retired wrote:
On 5/10/16 4:12 PM, GARYWC wrote:
Isn't "...The only thing they are responsible for...is the meter itself" the same as "the public utility's responsibility ends at...the electric meter?".


Not necessarily.

In CT, here is how our power co defines it for overhead service

https://www.eversource.com/Content/c...ment-ownership

That's interesting. That document states that the customer owns and maintains
the Clevis (House Knob).

In my (non-CT) situation (described in an earlier post) my utility installed
a new house knob for me as part of a disconnect/reconnect so I could repair
my siding. My house knob had been ripped out by an ice-event and they installed
a new one in a more secure location without my even asking. I'm not
complaining, not at all.

Since they are responsible for the drop, it is not unreasonable to
expect that they would want a good thing to anchor it to so they are
not coming back every time the wind blows
They generally go out of their way to be sure the homeowner has no
reason to screw with the service conductors.

On Wed, 11 May 2016 08:15:12 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 4:24:32 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Tue, 10 May 2016 12:20:04 -0700 (PDT), GARYWC
wrote:


Does the public utility's responsibility end at:

* the electric meter
* the main breaker in the electric panel box
* the individual branch circuit breakers in the panel box.

It is called the service point and typically that will be the crimps
where an overhead drop connects at the drip loop or at the street in
the case of a service lateral. You own the wire coming down the side
of the house and the meter socket but they own the meter and they have
common carrier power to seal the meter can.

I'm going to muddy the waters a little ask a different question:

Who is responsible for the actual connection device that is attached to the
house? i.e. the standoff and the support cable? The reason I ask is this:

A few years ago an ice event pulled the wires off of my house and damaged
some of the vinyl siding. The standoff/insulator that got ripped out
had been screwed through the vinyl siding and into the original clap-board
siding of the house. This left a large hole in the siding.

When the utility company came to drop the service wires so I could replace
the siding, the first thing the guy did was screw a new standoff through the
trim board just below the eave, so that it was actually screwed into a rafter.
This was a much more secure connection to the house.

I was thankful that he did it, but also surprised. Was he just being a nice
guy or is the utility also responsible for the standoff and support cable
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".

On Wed, 11 May 2016 08:30:44 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 4:35:58 PM UTC-4, Retired wrote:
On 5/10/16 4:12 PM, GARYWC wrote:
Isn't "...The only thing they are responsible for...is the meter itself" the same as "the public utility's responsibility ends at...the electric meter?".


Not necessarily.

In CT, here is how our power co defines it for overhead service

https://www.eversource.com/Content/c...ment-ownership

That's interesting. That document states that the customer owns and maintains
the Clevis (House Knob).

In my (non-CT) situation (described in an earlier post) my utility installed
a new house knob for me as part of a disconnect/reconnect so I could repair
my siding. My house knob had been ripped out by an ice-event and they installed
a new one in a more secure location without my even asking. I'm not
complaining, not at all.
Like I said in my last post - it's a case of "CYA" The clevis ( house
knob) or eye-bolt is cheap insurance to be sure the cable will stay up
- and it avoids him having to come back after "someone else" installs
one for him - and it makes him and the utility look good. One case
where "everyone is a winner"

On Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at 3:12:31 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Wed, 11 May 2016 08:30:44 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 4:35:58 PM UTC-4, Retired wrote:
On 5/10/16 4:12 PM, GARYWC wrote:
Isn't "...The only thing they are responsible for...is the meter itself" the same as "the public utility's responsibility ends at...the electric meter?".


Not necessarily.

In CT, here is how our power co defines it for overhead service

https://www.eversource.com/Content/c...ment-ownership

That's interesting. That document states that the customer owns and maintains
the Clevis (House Knob).

In my (non-CT) situation (described in an earlier post) my utility installed
a new house knob for me as part of a disconnect/reconnect so I could repair
my siding. My house knob had been ripped out by an ice-event and they installed
a new one in a more secure location without my even asking. I'm not
complaining, not at all.
Like I said in my last post - it's a case of "CYA" The clevis ( house
knob) or eye-bolt is cheap insurance to be sure the cable will stay up
- and it avoids him having to come back after "someone else" installs
one for him - and it makes him and the utility look good. One case
where "everyone is a winner"

I agree. He also made it easy for me to replace the siding since I now
had a clear field to work with. It ended up being a much cleaner look
when it was done. If it ever pulls out again, repairing/replacing the
trim will be a lot easier than replacing the siding.

DerbyDad03 posted for all of us...

A few years ago an ice event pulled the wires off of my house and damaged
some of the vinyl siding. The standoff/insulator that got ripped out
had been screwed through the vinyl siding and into the original clap-board
siding of the house. This left a large hole in the siding.

When the utility company came to drop the service wires so I could replace
the siding, the first thing the guy did was screw a new standoff through the
trim board just below the eave, so that it was actually screwed into a rafter.
This was a much more secure connection to the house.

I was thankful that he did it, but also surprised. Was he just being a nice
guy or is the utility also responsible for the standoff and support cable
that bears the weight of the service wire?

Probably a nice guy. I have found that true of many of them.

--
Tekkie

About 3 weeks ago, the lights on one circuit in my condo became much dimmer and the light bulbs flicker.

A response to a different post suggested having my local power company check their connections and wires before calling an electrician.

Would faulty power-company connections and wires affect only one circuit in my condo?

Several weeks ago, the lights on one circuit in my condo became much dimmer and the light bulbs flicker.

A response to a different post suggested having my local power company check their connections and wires BEFORE calling an electrician.

Would faulty power-company connections and wires affect only one circuit in my condo?

On Thu, 12 May 2016 09:27:26 -0700 (PDT), GARYWC
wrote:

Several weeks ago, the lights on one circuit in my condo became much dimmer and the light bulbs flicker.

A response to a different post suggested having my local power company check their connections and wires BEFORE calling an electrician.

Would faulty power-company connections and wires affect only one circuit in my condo?
No you own that one. It is going to be a bad connection somewhere.

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!

On Thursday, May 12, 2016 at 5:28:39 PM UTC-4, wrote:
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!

The exact opposite of how I was treated. If you had any reading comprehension
you'd realize that my experience was a good one and I received services that I
did not ask for and was not charged for.

On Thu, 12 May 2016 17:04:07 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
wrote:

The exact opposite of how I was treated. If you had any reading comprehension
you'd realize that my experience was a good one and I received services that I
did not ask for and was not charged for.
When I did my service upgrade, FPL could not have been more helpful. I
visited the engineering department, they gave me a lot of free advice
and a fee meter can.
When it came time to swing over the service they came out,
disconnected the drop and went to lunch. By the time they got back an
hour later my connections were done and they crimped on the new SE I
had installed.
Very smooth for me and no charge.

On Thu, 12 May 2016 17:04:07 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Thursday, May 12, 2016 at 5:28:39 PM UTC-4, wrote:
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!

The exact opposite of how I was treated. If you had any reading comprehension
you'd realize that my experience was a good one and I received services that I
did not ask for and was not charged for.
Our polichromatic Bovine friend has likely ****ed off every service
provider he has had to deal with, so NEVER gets "the benefit of the
doubt" and never gets any better service than the minimum required.

On Friday, May 13, 2016 at 1:00:17 AM UTC-4, wrote:
On Thu, 12 May 2016 17:04:07 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Thursday, May 12, 2016 at 5:28:39 PM UTC-4, wrote:
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!

The exact opposite of how I was treated. If you had any reading comprehension
you'd realize that my experience was a good one and I received services that I
did not ask for and was not charged for.
Our polichromatic Bovine friend has likely ****ed off every service
provider he has had to deal with, so NEVER gets "the benefit of the
doubt" and never gets any better service than the minimum required.

+1

Tue, 10 May 2016
20:40:39 GMT in alt.home.repair, wrote:

When I was a working electrician, we installed the "Service
Entrance". That was the entrance HEAD, to the meter box (socket),
and then to the breaker box. (And of course all the wiring in the
building iteself). When we completed a job, we left around 3 feet
of wire hanging from the entrance head. After the job was
inspected, the power company came and ran the overhead wires from
the pole to these wires at the entrance head, and crimped them
together. Then they installed the meter in the meter socket and
turned on the power.

That's how we do it here. As a final step I bend the service wires
coming out of the freshly installed weatherhead so that it
discourages water (if they get rained on) from trying to travel along
the wire into the pipe. It's like a U with a tail in the front Or
a sink trap for water... similar in shape. We've already passed the
last inspection at this point. But, as a precaution, the line man
will double check at the CAN. Just to be sure soon to be hot's aren't
shorting and the neutral isn't shorting to either hot. I don't blame
him either. The last thing I'd want to do is be plugging in a CAN
knowing my pole transformer is up and going and something be... wrong
inside that meter base wiring.

I really enjoy doing residential and commercial wiring. With a little
industrial wiring tossed in for the occasional, odd job. With that
said though, the line man and other people higher up the totem pole
are playing with much higher levels of current than I am. I've got
nothing but respect for them. I do respect the voltages I muck with
as well; I'm aware of what they can do if disrespected, but, for
sure, the line man has got to be that much more respectful.

I never ran into any underground service feeds, (they were not
common in my area back in the 1970's-80's), so I cant comment on
that, except that I would guess that the electrician installs the
conduit from the meter box into the ground, and the power Co.
installs the underground wire up into the meter box. (I could be
wrong on that, since I never had to do it).

We run the wire from the meter base can into pvc piping that's going
to be underground when we pile the dirt back on it, to a plastic
green box located near the road, not too far from the transformer
pad.

Inside this box is where the power company taps onto the output lines
coming from the transformer to feed your house. Each line has a boot
and a short aluminum? based BUS that'll accept several wires on it.
They just take one boot off, make the connections, put the boot back
on, move onto the next. With the transformer up and going and various
houses already pulling on it.

I haven't seen an underground one yet though that provided power to a
single house. They're usually feeding four to six houses in a close
proximity to each other. You can see the PVC piping going up the pole
that contains the wires to power the transformer. We don't touch
those.

Also, all grounding rods and connections are installed by the
electrician at the house location.

Ayep.

--
MID:
Hmmm. I most certainly don't understand how I can access a copy of a
zip file but then not be able to unzip it so I can watch it. That
seems VERY clever!
http://al.howardknight.net/msgid.cgi?ID=145716711400

DerbyDad03
Wed, 11
May 2016 15:15:12 GMT in alt.home.repair, wrote:

Who is responsible for the actual connection device that is
attached to the house? i.e. the standoff and the support cable?
The reason I ask is this:

The owner/electrician who performed the service work/installation.

I was thankful that he did it, but also surprised. Was he just
being a nice guy or is the utility also responsible for the
standoff and support cable that bears the weight of the service
wire?

He was being a nice guy and covering his ass in the future. Not to
mention providing you great customer service. A win win win.


--
MID:
Hmmm. I most certainly don't understand how I can access a copy of a
zip file but then not be able to unzip it so I can watch it. That
seems VERY clever!
http://al.howardknight.net/msgid.cgi?ID=145716711400