# Electrical Service Manholes



## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

pete25 said:


> Does the NEC require the installation of Manholes for underground service entrance distribution? When is the installation of a manhole required?


if it’s for distribution, how else would you splice into the higher voltage circuit?

Manholes are usually strategically placed where power is going to be needed.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

The NEC must be different than the CEC. Our chapter on services is very short. The connection guide for a utility, however, can be 200 pages long. If people are looking for answers in the electrician's code book regarding services, they won't find many.


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

OP is in Chicago = the land of a gazillion local amendments.

Call your local bldg dept.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Welcome to Electrician Talk.
Thanks for taking the time to fill out your profile.

Not sure I understand your question? Maybe be a bit more specific.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

We find that anything up to the building is under the jurisdiction of our POCO.
Also, I have no qualms with splicing anything outside in a handhold or manhole.


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

Recent MH splices


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

I agree with the others that say you need to look outside the NEC. 

Start with the poco.


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

That's up to your local POCO. Not the NEC.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

pete25 said:


> Does the NEC require the installation of Manholes for underground service entrance distribution? When is the installation of a manhole required?


If it was on POCO side they have regulations and their engineer staff they can tell ya where they want it.

If customer owned MV/ HV cable that part is up to EE to specficy it if they required it. ( most case useally not )


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## paulengr (Oct 8, 2017)

frenchelectrican said:


> If it was on POCO side they have regulations and their engineer staff they can tell ya where they want it.
> 
> 
> 
> If customer owned MV/ HV cable that part is up to EE to specficy it if they required it. ( most case useally not )




MV/HV is covered by NEC and partly NESC. Equipment for utilities is normally ANSI. Can be UL orCSA or ETL or any of them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## pete25 (Mar 1, 2018)

*Electrical manhole*



360max said:


> if it’s for distribution, how else would you splice into the higher voltage circuit?
> 
> Manholes are usually strategically placed where power is going to be needed.


I am referring to the primary utility service feeders coming down from the service point to the utility stepdown transformer. Direct buried cable trench is allowed by utility. My question is why would we need a manhole. Could we not come down from utility point to trench and into the utility transformer?


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

OP: you're pleading before the wrong crowd.

You need to discuss your Service secondaries with your Poco. No-one else has a say. :smile:


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

pete25 said:


> I am referring to the primary utility service feeders coming down from the service point to the utility stepdown transformer. Direct buried cable trench is allowed by utility. My question is why would we need a manhole. Could we not come down from utility point to trench and into the utility transformer?


Most poco's would want a vault and conduit. The vault is more of a storage area for extra cable. If this is a medium voltage setup then its a pain to strip the cables with out having some where to push or pull a few inches of slack.
Also if a end fails you can go down into the vault and get enough cable to remake the end with out having to re-pull the whole run. 

I have seen the same poco insist on a vault on one job then go direct on the next so they work by there own rules i guess.


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