# Temp Service



## svh19044 (Jul 1, 2008)

I put up the same recycled Aerial Temp service that we have used for years the other day and the poco won't connect to it. Fine, I'll do what they want. WAIT, that is the problem.

The whole front yard is asphalt, and they want the TEMP pole 3' underground. They don't care that the driveway is asphalt. And in order to put it behind the house, there is only about 4' between the houses. So I'm not sure what they are thinking. 

It's currently a temp service, supported on all sides by 2x8's, 12' mast, and upright supports to 6'. 

This is for a 100a TEMP service (will probably be used for the next month for a fire job).

I do a decent amount of these under the same poco and never had issues in the past, but they were never on a driveway either. We always had soil to sink a partial pole.

My only other idea is using the original service entrance point and meter, then putting my temp outside panel off of that, which will eventually ahve to be all ripped out anyway because of fire damage to the wood behind it, making it a headache for everyone. 

Suggestions other than holing out the middle of the driveway?


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## randas (Dec 14, 2008)

Service on the house still hooked up? Swing the triplex over yourself


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## svh19044 (Jul 1, 2008)

randas said:


> Service on the house still hooked up? Swing the triplex over yourself


Our temp service is right next to the original service. poco cut the triplex on both ends. I suggested them attaching the triplex to the house where it was originally was, and we will just connect to the temp, but no go. Makes no sense.

They won't allow it to be attached to any temp service not 3' in the ground, even though there is absolutely no load/stress on the temp service.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

svh19044 said:


> Our temp service is right next to the original service. poco cut the triplex on both ends. I suggested them attaching the triplex to the house where it was originally was, and we will just connect to the temp, but no go. Makes no sense.
> 
> They won't allow it to be attached to any temp service not 3' in the ground, even though there is absolutely no load/stress on the temp service.


They won't attach to anything less than a class a pole around here. I've stuck temp services on triple 2x6s nailed into a 15' pole, trees, only by swinging the drop over myself.


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

If the next house is 4' away, swing your triplex to their weatherhead.


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## Pete m. (Nov 19, 2011)

svh19044 said:


> The whole front yard is asphalt, and they want the TEMP pole 3' underground.


Ok.... you knock out a 6X6 or 12X12 hole in the asphalt and set the pole on the sub-grade. Tell them you used a post hole shovel.

How in the world will the POCO know if it's actually 3 feet deep? Especially after you brace the way you are going to do.

Once the job is done get a bag of asphalt patch compact it and collect payment.

Pete


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## svh19044 (Jul 1, 2008)

Pete m. said:


> Ok.... you knock out a 6X6 or 12X12 hole in the asphalt and set the pole on the sub-grade. Tell them you used a post hole shovel.
> 
> How in the world will the POCO know if it's actually 3 feet deep? Especially after you brace the way you are going to do.
> 
> ...


Honestly.....not a bad idea.


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## Pete m. (Nov 19, 2011)

svh19044 said:


> Honestly.....not a bad idea.


You have to have been a crook to catch one...

Pete


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

Pete m. said:


> You have to have been a crook to catch one... Pete


Inspectors know all the tricks!!


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## Pete m. (Nov 19, 2011)

backstay said:


> Inspectors know all the tricks!!


:laughing: I really wish that were trrue!

Pete


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## svh19044 (Jul 1, 2008)

I will probably end up not getting power again. I was down there yet again today and considered doing the fake asphalt dig, but the poco is adamant about it being 100 percent blue book (aside from the 3' down on the main pole, the two diagonal supports would need to be driven in to the asphalt as well). So I passed on it. Obviously, the poco wants the blue book temp pole. And again, I'd have no problem with that if there were soil to mount on (not sure I even could do to the soil being frozen rock hard).

I replaced the fire damaged mast with new wire, connected triplex wire, new insulator on solid wood not effected by the fire, pulled out the cable to the basement panel from the meter, and mounted my outside panel next to the meter pan.

The old temp was already inspected by the township and passed,so now I guess a new inspection is needed for this setup and the poco already said that they want an inspection on the whole house before connecting to my outside temp power even though it feeds nothing in the house (but it uses the house mast). The inside of the house is completely charred though, nothing to inspect.

There is no winning on this one. Thanks for the suggestions anyway.


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## Semi-Ret Electrician (Nov 10, 2011)

Sometimes in the quest for safety we have to do unsafe things.


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## bostongtp (Apr 9, 2014)

Semi-Ret Electrician said:


> Sometimes in the quest for safety we have to do unsafe things.


What does that even mean??... I don't see any issue with his initial Temp setup, or his current setup... they are just busting balls apparently. He's doing a temp service to rewire the house, he relocates and now they want to inspect the house wiring? Waste of time but they want what they want.


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## Semi-Ret Electrician (Nov 10, 2011)

I agree with the OP. He's trying to work throught a difficult situation with the POCO and all they can do is quote the book.

Then he was even considering trying to trick them.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

sometimes you gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet. Sorry, but I'm with the poco on this one. Why have a blue book if you aren't going to stick to it ? Why have a hazard ? The house already burnt down once, who wants to be on the hook for a half baked solution. The solution you ended up with seems best.


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## Tigerloose (Dec 5, 2010)

Pete m. said:


> How in the world will the POCO know if it's actually 3 feet deep? Especially after you brace the way you are going to do.


A conduit fixed to the pole that an inspector can run a stick down 3'. 

Even if you dummied that up, braces would give you away.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

You sure you even need a temp for a month long job? Unless it's required by your contract with the owner, I'd just let the subs know that this is a job where they need to bring their generator along. Not sure about your area, but in my area every sub for just about anything has a generator, and it would be fairly normal to use it on short jobs. It's either that or bash a hole in the blacktop and plant the pole. Patch it later. I'm not sure this is something worth getting twisted up over.


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## Norcal (Mar 22, 2007)

MDShunk said:


> You sure you even need a temp for a month long job? Unless it's required by your contract with the owner, I'd just let the subs know that this is a job where they need to bring their generator along. Not sure about your area, but in my area every sub for just about anything has a generator, and it would be fairly normal to use it on short jobs. It's either that or bash a hole in the blacktop and plant the pole. Patch it later. I'm not sure this is something worth getting twisted up over.


 
As I was reading this thread a generator was what came to mind, cheap & quick + no fees to the PoCo & AHJ for a temp service, at least that's the case around here.


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## dawgs (Dec 1, 2007)

I would just go ahead and dig up the asphalt were needs and patch later. Should only take a couple extra hours total. Not a big deal.


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## svh19044 (Jul 1, 2008)

MDShunk said:


> You sure you even need a temp for a month long job? Unless it's required by your contract with the owner, I'd just let the subs know that this is a job where they need to bring their generator along. Not sure about your area, but in my area every sub for just about anything has a generator, and it would be fairly normal to use it on short jobs. It's either that or bash a hole in the blacktop and plant the pole. Patch it later. I'm not sure this is something worth getting twisted up over.


1000000000000 percent positive. 

The township didn't want generators running during certain hours (night and weekend). The company doing the restoration wanted to work nights and weekends (large company staffed 24/7 so hours are irrelevant work is work). They had a bunch of their own generators so it wouldn't have been a problem by any stretch.

They eventually allowed the mast on the house and temp panel attached to the outside of the house.

The house was demolished the other week. :laughing:


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

svh19044 said:


> 1000000000000 percent positive.
> 
> The township didn't want generators running during certain hours (night and weekend). The company doing the restoration wanted to work nights and weekends (large company staffed 24/7 so hours are irrelevant work is work). They had a bunch of their own generators so it wouldn't have been a problem by any stretch.
> 
> ...


Hopefully you'll get to wire the new one too....:laughing:


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## woodchuck2 (Sep 18, 2009)

POCO here is getting to be a nightmare about temporary services. A temporary service now must follow the same rules/regulations as a permanent service. Also they are trying to push that any service installed is temporary unless a home is on the property. Money hungry they are! The last underground service i did was put to a pedestal built of PT 6X6's with PT 2X8 boards, this was buried in the ground 4' with a mini-ex. Put in the ground 10' from their pole with a 200 amp meter socket and dis-connect. I installed several 20amp GFCI's for future use as well as a 30amp camper plug. Inspector ok's it, calls it in for attachment, POCO hooks up and its a go. Customer calls me a month later mad as hell that he is getting charged $800 a month for a temporary service. So i now had to call the POCO to straighten them out as the service passed inspection and was installed to their specs as a permanent service. They stated that since there was no home on the property then it was a temporary service. It was then i reminded them that the only responsibility they have passed the attachment point on their pole is the meter itself and they have no authority of how many buildings the HO has if any nor can they or code dictate whether or not the property can be used for a camper. Furthermore they cannot deny the man power to his property if he just wants to use an electric weed trimmer to keep his grass mowed.

Used to be we could put it a permanent service to a parcel of property, drill a well and install a septic with no building and have it as a marketable parcel ready to go but now we are finding the POCO, the Town Boards and County Boards are going against it. Another latest money maker around here, DEC fining anyone replacing their water pump without a license to do so. They have been fining well drillers every chance they get.


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