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Affordable Inspection, LLC INSPECTION CHECKLIST for SERVICE EQUIPMENT This list is in the process of construction.
Most recent update: 2009/12/04. NOTICE OF DISCLAIMER This information here-in presented is intended to promote consistency and to assist in the application of city, utility and electrical code rules regarding installation of service equipment. It is intended for use by property owners and licensed electricians as a guide only and is not intended to instruct those unfamiliar with electrical practice nor to be used as a manual for untrained persons. It is not to be considered complete or all-inclusive. It will be updated from time to time. This information is believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but codes, standards and accepted practice change regularly and are subject to various interpretations by numerous agencies. There is no warranty expressed or implied with the provision of this information and the publisher shall not be responsible for its use or misuse. By viewing this information you acknowledge that you have read and understood these warnings and will not hold the publisher accountable for issues that arise from your application of the material on these pages. CONTENTS 1. general rules for all installations
1. general rules for all installations All electrical work should be performed with the equipment de-energized. If you need power to be removed from a structure or service pole call Allegheny Power at 800-255-3443. All electrical work should comply with the 2005 edition of NEC. All electrical work should be performed by the property owner or by a state licensed electrician. All electrical equipment should be installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. All electrical equipment should be listed by a "Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory" such as Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) or equivalent and should bear a label stating so. All electrical equipment should be new unless accepted by the inspector. To be accepted, used equipment should be in good repair, with no significant corrosion or deterioration, and should have original factory labels intact. All electrical equipment mounted outdoors should be suitable for use outdoors, enclosures should be of Type 3R rain-tight construction. Unenclosed porches, unenclosed shelters and other open-sided structures as well as damp areas such as barns and so on should be considered outdoors. All service equipment should be factory labeled with either of the following:
Equipment manufactured by Push-O-Matic will not be accepted in new installations. Equipment manufactured by Federal Pacific will not be accepted in any case. All electrical equipment should be rated for the voltage, current and the available short-circuit current. All electrical equipment should be mounted to the pole or structure using hardware of sufficient size to hold the equipment securely and permanently. All fastening hardware used outdoors, should be galvanized, zinc coated or otherwise rust-resistant. Electric panels with fuses or breakers should not be installed in the following locations:
2. underground service to a structure Pre-construction concrete contractors should make necessary provisions for underground conduits (especially the service lateral) and provide gaps or cutouts in the foundation to allow for flush mounting against the foundation wall of the lateral riser and any other vertical conduits. Service lateral conduits and fittings should be 3 inch schedule 80 from the meter box through the first sweep elbow (going toward the source of power) and may be schedule 40 or 80 thereafter. Larger conduit may be required by Allegheny Power for long runs and larger services. Service lateral conduits should be buried 24 inches minimum from final grade to the top of the conduit. Warning tape should be buried directly above the service lateral conduit 12 inches below grade. Water and sewer piping should be spaced at least 12 inches away horizontally. Telephone and CATV have no minimum requirements by Allegheny Power but may have minimum requirements by their respective utilities. Service lateral conduits should be installed as a complete system between the power pole or pad-transformer and the metering enclosure, should be properly glued, and should have a pull rope or strap installed. The service lateral riser should be strapped to the foundation or structure not more than 12 inches below the meter socket and at one other place further down, preferably just below the joint at the first sweep elbow. The service lateral riser should be flush mounted to the structure and should be plumb. The male adapter at the top of the riser should be mounted tight to the meter enclosure with no gap or angle (left knockout in the bottom if meter socket is provided by Allegheny Power). 3. mast through roof on a structure Mast should be of sufficient elevation to meet Allegheny Power requirements for:
and for height of the lowest point of the overhead "service drop" above:
Masts extending through a roof should be minimum 2 inch rigid steel electrical conduit. 2 inch masts should extend from 24 inches to 36 inches above the roof line. 2 1/2 inch masts should extend from 24 inches to 48 inches above the roof line. Additional height above the roof line may be permitted by Allegheny Power engineers if the mast is suitably guyed. The mast should be strapped to the structure wall 12 inches above the meter socket and then at 30 inch intervals. On low roofs, meter sockets should be mounted lower than typical to make room for a sufficient number straps on the mast. (two straps minimum) The mast should be flush-mounted to the wall. If the mast cannot be installed flush-mounted to the wall due to obstructions, two-hole straps (two fasteners) with shims and spacers should be used. Lag screws or other substantial fasteners should be used to secure straps, not nails and sheet rock screws. PVC conduit straps should be used on PVC conduit. Metal conduit straps should be used on metal conduit. Cable straps should be used on Type SE-U service cable. Type SE-R (four conductor) cable should not be used as service cable in single-phase installations. Insulated conductors within conduit should be Type SE-U, RHW, THW, THHW, THWN or XHHW and should be factory labeled "SUNLIGHT RESISTANT." All conductors installed inside metal conduit should be insulated. Equipment ground (fourth or green) conductors are not required nor permitted ahead of the meter socket. Service mast weatherheads, drip loops and service drop conductors should not be installed within 36 inches reach of a window that is designed to be opened, nor within 36 inches reach of a patio, verandah, flat roof, roof walkway, stairway, fire escape or other outdoor feature easily accessible to occupants. Conduits and cables may pass beside a window or door without restriction. 4. weatherhead under an eave on a structure Weatherheads should be of sufficient elevation to meet Allegheny Power requirements for:
and for height of the lowest point of the overhead "service drop" above:
Steel conduit, PVC conduit or Type SE-U service cable should be strapped to the structure wall 12 inches above the meter socket, 12 inches below the weatherhead and at 30 inch intervals between. Only Type SE-U may be used without a conduit. A weatherhead should be used with Type SE-U cable. Steel and PVC conduit should be flush-mounted to the wall. If conduit cannot be installed flush-mounted to the wall due to obstructions, two-hole straps (two fasteners) with shims and spacers should be used. Type SE-U service cable should be run flush to the wall surface. Lag screws or other substantial fasteners should be used to secure straps, not nails and sheet rock screws. PVC conduit straps should be used on PVC conduit. Metal conduit straps should be used on metal conduit. Cable straps should be used on Type SE-U service cable. Type SE-R (four conductor) cable should not be used as service cable in under-eave single-phase installations and should be installed in conduit if used as service cable in under-eave three-phase installations. Insulated conductors within conduit should be Type SE-U, RHW, THW, THHW, THWN or XHHW and should be factory labeled "SUNLIGHT RESISTANT." All conductors installed inside metal conduit should be insulated. Equipment ground (fourth or green) conductors are not required nor permitted ahead of the meter socket. Weatherheads, drip loops and service drop conductors should not be installed within 36 inches reach of a window that is designed to be opened, nor anywhere directly underneath that space, nor within 36 inches reach of an upstairs door or porch. Conduits and cables may pass beside a window or door without restriction. 5. mobile home and other service poles Service poles should be of sufficient height to meet Allegheny Power requirements for:
and for height of the lowest point of the overhead "service drop" above:
Service pole should be round, treated and at least class 7 size. Service pole should be located within 100 feet of an Allegheny Power pole and within 30 feet of the mobile home perimeter (specific location is generally suggested by Allegheny Power engineer). If the service pole and disconnect cannot be located within 30 feet of the mobile home perimeter contact your inspector about rules for a "second disconnect." Service pole should be installed plumb, set to a depth of not less than 5 feet below grade in solid earth and be well tamped or cemented. The weatherhead should be located within 12 inches of the top of the pole. Above the meter socket, steel conduit, PVC conduit or Type SE-U service cable should be strapped to the pole 12 inches from the meter socket, 12 inches below the weatherhead and at 30 inch intervals between. Only Type SE-U may be used without a conduit. A weatherhead should be used with Type SE-U cable. Two-hole straps with two fasteners each should be used to strap conduit or cable to round poles, not single-ended conduit or cable straps. Lag screws or other substantial fasteners should be used to secure straps, not nails and sheet rock screws. PVC conduit straps should be used on PVC conduit. Metal conduit straps should be used on metal conduit. Cable straps should be used on Type SE-U service cable. Type SE-R (four conductor) cable should not be used as service cable in pole-mounted single-phase installations and should be installed in conduit if used as service cable in pole-mounted three-phase installations. Insulated conductors within conduit above the meter socket should be Type SE-U, RHW, THW, THHW, THWN or XHHW and should be factory labeled "SUNLIGHT RESISTANT." All conductors installed inside metal conduit should be insulated. Equipment ground (fourth or green) conductors are not required nor permitted ahead of the meter socket. Backboards, if used, should be treated wood. The service disconnect should have a main breaker and room for at least one additional breaker for connecting outdoor loads. The bottom of the service disconnect should be at least 24 inches above grade. The conduit run from the service disconnect to the mobile home should be gray electrical conduit and should be buried to a depth of not less than 18 inches below grade. The conduit under the mobile home does not need to be buried but should be held securely in place and should be continuous to the distribution panel inside. The cable run from the service disconnect to the mobile home should have four insulated conductors and should incorporate "triple-rated" insulation of Type RHW-2. Type RHW-2 cable generally has a green or green-striped ground (fourth) conductor. Types USE, USE-2, SE-U and SE-R should not be run from the service disconnect to the mobile home. Types USE and USE-2 generally incorporate a yellow or yellow-striped ground (fourth) conductor. Types SE-U and SE-R generally incorporate uninsulated aluminum conductors inside gray plastic jackets. In existing trailer parks where mobile homes move frequently, USE and USE-2 may be run from the service disconnect to an approved plastic splice box under the mobile home and from there Type RHW-2 may be run into the mobile home. 6. metering equipment Meter sockets are provided free of charge by Allegheny Power. Customer-provided meter sockets and combination 'meter-main' service equipment must be previously approved by Allegheny Power engineer. Meter sockets should be installed so that the top is between 48 inches and 60 inches above finished grade, patio or floor. Meter sockets should be mounted securely to the structure using four screws or bolts into structural wood. Meter sockets mounted on manufactured homes and trailer poles may be mounted using two screws top and bottom on the center-line. All mounting hardware should be of sufficient size to hold the equipment securely, and be galvanized, zinc coated or otherwise rust-resistant. Backboards, if used, should be treated wood. Conduits and cables should be enter and exit metering equipment at proper locations:
Ground electrode conductors should not pass through or be connected inside any wireway, trough, meter enclosure or utility controlled section of service equipment that will be sealed by Allegheny Power. 7. service conductors, conduits and troughs Service conductors should be sized per the service disconnect rating:
The above conductor sizes are the absolute minimum, in some cases they may need to be increased to compensate for insulation type, derating and/or adjustment for ambient temperature. After penetrating the structure, the service conductors should be as short as possible in reaching the service disconnect. Service conductors should not leave the stud-space into which they enter, should not pass into an interior wall, should not pass through a crawl space, floor or ceiling, and should not run further than necessary laterally in a basement. Service conductors may be as long as reasonably necessary to reach an outdoor disconnect. Type USE and USE-2 cable should not enter or be installed inside or beneath any structure. Non-service conductors such as CATV, telephone, feeders, branch circuits should not be routed with service conductors inside the same conduits, wireways or troughs. Individual service conductors such as Type RHW, THW, THWN and THHW should be installed in rigid steel electrical conduit or schedule 80 PVC. Type SE-U may be used without a conduit where it is not exposed to damage. Paralleled conductors in multiple conduits should be of the same length, material and gauge. Derating should be applied to paralleled conductors if installed within a single conduit. All conduits and cables should be connected to enclosures with proper hubs, connectors or fittings. Conduits entering indoor equipment through a side-wall should be sealed to prevent air infiltration and condensation. 8. underground conductors and conduits Conduits, elbows and fittings installed below grade should be listed for underground use. LB type conduit bodies should not be installed below grade. Sweep ells may be installed below grade. Conductors installed below grade should be suitable for wet locations such as Type RHW, THW, THWN, THHW, UF, USE or USE-2. Type USE and USE-2 conductors should not enter the structure. Type SE-U, SE-R, THHN, NM (Romex) and any type of cable incorporating a bare aluminum ground conductor should not be installed below grade. Conductors installed below grade should be buried at a depth as required by Table 300.5 of the NEC. Direct burial cables such as Type USE, RHW or UF when not installed in conduit should be buried at least 24 inches below grade and should be protected where entering the earth by conduit to a depth of 18 inches below grade. A protective bushing or equivalent should be used where the cable leaves the conduit. Cables passing under a slab or concrete footers should be installed in conduit to facilitate removal for servicing. Conduits entering indoor equipment from underground should be sealed to prevent air infiltration and condensation. 9. main service disconnect Minimum size of services should be:
The service disconnect (first main breaker) and/or load center (distribution panelboard) should be factory labeled with either of the following:
The main service disconnect (breaker or fused switch) should be located either outside of the structure or inside the structure mounted as near as possible to the point where the service conductors enter the structure. The main service disconnect may be:
If the service disconnect and the distribution panel are located in separate enclosures, the distribution panel must be fed by a "feeder" and installed as a "sub-panel." Equipment labeled "SUITABLE FOR USE ONLY AS SERVICE EQUIPMENT" may not be used as a "sub-panel." When the service disconnect is comprised of a single main breaker, the service conductors should be connected to the main breaker, not to the buss-bar or feed-through lugs. The main breaker in this case must incorporate an approved hold down kit. When the service disconnect is comprised of multiple main breakers or switches, no more than six such breakers or switches should be located at any location without a master disconnecting means. Multiple service disconnects should be field labeled as to load and/or customer. If an unfused service disconnect switch and the service overcurrent fuses are located in separate enclosures, they should be located adjacent to each other. Fuses, fused disconnects and fuse-type panels should not be used in any residential occupancy. 10. ground electrode system The NEC, Allegheny Power and City of Summersville require the grounding electrode system to include ALL of the following:
All available grounding electrodes listed above should be bonded together to form the ground electrode system using conductors sized per Table 250.66. The above grounding electrode system should be connected to the grounded service conductor (typically to the neutral buss-bar) at the main service disconnect using an unspliced ground electrode conductor sized per Table 250.66. If the ground electrode conductor is installed in a protective ferrous (steel or iron) conduit, the end of the conduit should be bonded to the ground electrode conductor using a listed bonding fitting. Ground rod clamps should be used on ground rods. Water pipe clamps should be used on water pipes. Re-bar clamps should be used on re-bar. All clamps should be suitable for the application, listed for grounding, properly sized for the electrode and suitable for burial if installed below grade (brass or bronze acorn clamps or equivalent). Aluminum grounding conductors may not be used within 18 inches of the earth. 11. bonding of metallic conduits and enclosures MAIN BONDING JUMPER: The main service disconnect enclosure should be bonded to the incoming grounded service conductor (typically to the neutral buss-bar) using the supplied bonding jumper or green bonding screw or with a conductor sized per Table 250.66. Equipment labeled "SUITABLE FOR USE ONLY AS SERVICE EQUIPMENT" is already factory-bonded. BONDING METAL ENCLOSURES: All metallic enclosures ahead of the service disconnecting means such as meter sockets, wireways, troughs and tap-boxes should be bonded to the enclosed grounded service conductor (neutral) or to the neutral buss-bar using appropriate lugs, jumpers or fittings and with conductors sized per Table 250.66. Self contained and combination type meter sockets are typically already factory-bonded. BONDING METAL CONDUITS: All metallic conduits joining the above metallic enclosures should be bonded to those enclosures using appropriate fittings such as bolt-on hubs, bonding bushings, bonding locknuts or 'Myers' type hubs. Intact concentric knockouts should not comprise the only bonding path between metallic conduits and metallic enclosures. Metallic conduits need only be bonded at one end (preferably the line-end). Metallic elbows and other metallic fittings should be not be "orphaned" between non-metallic conduit but should be connected by metallic conduit continuously in one or both directions to a metallic enclosure for proper bonding. Metallic conduit entering open-bottomed equipment should be bonded to the equipment's grounded service conductor (neutral) or to the neutral buss-bar using appropriate lugs, jumpers or fittings and with conductors sized per Table 250.66. BONDING A METAL BUILDING FRAME: A steel building frame, if not grounded to the earth through footer re-bar, should be bonded to the structure's ground electrode system in an approved manner. (if the steel building frame is grounded to the earth through footer re-bar, it should already be being used as a ground electrode) BONDING METAL BUILDING PIPING: Internal metallic piping, if not grounded to the earth through the municipal water system (plastic supply line), should be bonded to the structure's ground electrode system in an approved manner. If plumbing is metallic, a bonding jumper should be installed across any water meter that does not incorporate a metallic bar between inlet and outlet to maintain bonding when the meter is removed. If plumbing is metallic, a bonding jumper should be installed across the inlet and outlet piping at the water heater. BONDING TO OTHER UTILITIES: An "inter-utility grounding bar" with at least 5 free terminals should be installed outdoors near the metering enclosure for access by other utilities such as CATV and telephone. It should be attached to any of the following:
If the structure incorporates lightning protection, a properly sized bonding jumper should be installed between the service grounding electrode system and the lightning grounding electrode system. 12. ground fault protection for large equipment Service equipment rated at 277/480 volts and 1000 amps or larger shall include integral ground-fault protection for equipment. The required ground fault performance test should be completed and approved by an accredited testing agency. An approval sticker from the testing agency performing the test should be attached to the service equipment. The contractor shall provide a copy of the testing agency's Ground Fault Performance Test Report to the inspector.
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