Service mast height question

Specific Inspection Topics Electrical Inspections
1

Firstly , I hope everyone is ok during these crazy times were going through. Came across the service mast that was short. Does the bottom of the drip loop need 3 feet clearance?Thanks for any help with this

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3

Thanks Marcel. So from the photo its 18 inches from bottom of drip loops?

4

Yes

image

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5

Thank you very much

6

I believe it is 18" above the roofing…don’t want the wind to blow rubbing the sheathing off of the conductors. It is a potential safety hazard.

Edit:
I need to read farther down the thread before I post.

I see Marcel has helped you with the height already. :wink:

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Thanks Larry, more help the better :grinning: :+1: :+1: You on lock down with this whole corona virus? :mask: :mask:

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Yep…:mask:

Where are you located, Drew?

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NJ, I’m not personally doing inspections right now. I’m writing reports only. NJ Ashi apparently has a letter out to our attorney general to determine if real estate and home inspections will be considered essential. Not sure what the outcome will be but I am trying to strictly stay home. Really dont want to get any one sick including my family

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11

Thanks Larry, just updated a couple things, will fix more stuff soon

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12

Welcome, Drew!

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Just curious as to how you would write this up. Since this is on the utility side of the service point do you recommend that the utility company come out and fix it?

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14

It crossed my mind while writing it up. I just wrote it up as a licensed electrician. Theres other electrical issue inside the home that need to be corrected so when they can come out they can tell the client that the local utility should fix it

15

Probably have to get a qualified electrician to put a taller mast up after the POCO disconnects and then longer wires down the mast and the POCO reconnects. JMO

16

Service conductors did not meet the minimum clearance requirement of 18 inches over the roof. Recommend correction for safety.

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17

Doubt that will happen Steve. One would think that the power company would not connect it if it were a safety issue. I never came across one that low before around here. I’ve seen them where the mast was too high and bent over though. :grinning:

18

It looks like it could have been spliced as depicted in Marcel’s graphic in post #4 and given the 18" minimum clearance above the roof. Judging from the splicing method it is possible that an electrician did this I think that a lineman would have known better. :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

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Robert, look at that OP’s pic again, it looks more like they taped SEC’s together and not a splice. Typically, the lineman would shorten those up before they make a splice. :grinning:

20

The picture shows that the mast has been altered. The head is not the same age as the mast. My guess is that an electrician repaired the mast by cutting off the top and installing a new mast head.
From the head down is the property of the homeowner, the power company’s responsibility ends at the splice (I recently had an issue with my own and that’s what the lineman told me).
Call it out.

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