# Switching from overhead to underground



## airdenver (May 6, 2007)

I am getting ready to do go from an overhead service on one side of the house to an underground on the other side of the house. Before Edison will tie into the new meter, they require an inspection be complete, with the house being supplied from the old meters (also a Geo thermal meter) to the new meters by a temporary feed. I plan on calling the inspector on Monday to get his take on what size conductor I can use, but I am trying to get an idea if there is anywhere in the code where it spells it out or if anybody has ever delt with this before. I have heard that #6's would be fine in that application, just not too sure. Any input would help. I am an electrical contractor, just have never delt with this kind of service change before. Thanks.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I guess some ampacities would be nice, but I've done a couple of these in the past. I just lay some #2 aerial triplex on the roof or in the gutter to temp that situation in for a couple days. Overhead 200 amp is #2 most of the time by NESC rules.


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## wirenut1110 (Feb 12, 2008)

I typically use some SE cable as a jumper in between, even if i wrap the house with it, so to speak. It's figured in the job and it can always be re-used. Ends up more than paying for itself overall.

Around here, it can be up to 6-8 weeks after an inspection before the super busy POCO:laughing: gets around to taking care of their end, and then they send out 6 trucks and 4 supervisors.

Hope they're not "listening"


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## electricista (Jan 11, 2009)

wirenut1110 said:


> I typically use some SE cable as a jumper in between,


I find that the easiest method also but I would need to know the load on the house before I would suggest a wire size. If this is an upgrade to 200 amp and there is gas heat, not electric, etc. then that would help determine what I would need. Even for a few days I wouldn't want to undersize the cable by too much.


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## airdenver (May 6, 2007)

The two existing meters feed a 100 amp panel for the house and a 100 amp panel for the geo thermal system. The new set up is a dual meter can feeding two seperate 200 amp panels, one for the house and one for the geo thermal system. He will be using his old 100 amp panel as a sub panel, and completely removing the old 100 amp panel feeding the geo thermal system. I was thinking that I could temp it from the old household meter to the new meter can and feed both panels with some #2, not sure if he will let it fly. May want two seperate feeds from the old meters of #2. Supose to be no more than two weeks after the inspection, but we all know how that works with Edison. Could be 3 days after or 2 months after.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

If I wasn't sure when it would be removed, I'd temp it in full-size by NEC rules. I'd also bill for that wire as if I was never getting it back. If I do, then that's a bonus. This temping in thing is stressful, and you really need to have a good historical track record about how the PoCo works. In my area, it would be a day or three max. Sometimes even just hours. I'd be nervous about leaving what's essentially non-compliant electrical work sit for weeks. If that was the case, I'd probably use SE cable and not aerial triplex too.


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## wirenut1110 (Feb 12, 2008)

It depends what office they work out of around here. We have some token engineers that drag ass and get it done when they feel like it and some areas I've had customers call and ask when I'm coming to remove the temporary and I'm amazed at the response time. Some are customer service orientated and some are " what can we do to get out of doing this' and we'll get to it when hell freezes over.


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## Greenblinker (Aug 4, 2008)

I've got limited experience with this type of situation, but the 1 time we moved a 200A aerial service to the opposite side of the house we used 4/0 AL SE and laid it across the roof. The customer paid for it as it was included in the bid, and that in turn bought everyone peace of mind. I'm curious to know what would actually be required in this situation, but would the inspectors decision hold up across multiple cities? Not to mention you have no way of telling when Flaky DTE is going to come out and do their thing. I think I'm slightly biased when it comes to DTE lol. I guess to some up my viewpoint, DTE's wire has no rating printed on it, ours does... and you are responsible for your work.


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## itsunclebill (Jan 16, 2007)

I keep several pieces of 2/0 SER around just for this and use it up to 200 AMP, seems to be what the utility prefers. It's usually there about 2 weeks and I generally get it back, it has been paid for a couple of times if I don't. Most of the upgrades I do are from 100 or 125 AMP and the new A/C or spa that prompted the upgrade doesn't stress the temp.


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## airdenver (May 6, 2007)

Thanks for all the help. I did find a 100' piece of 2/0, 3 conductor w/ground on ebay for $50, and it was even a local pick up! I will keep it on hand for just such a situation, got the home owner to split the cost with me. Kind of a friend of a friend, didn't want to hang him out too much. I am sure I will make my money off of it 10 fold.


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