# 200 Amp Service



## WireNut (Oct 21, 2007)

Can PVC conduit be used with a PVC weather head if the service feed is being anchored to the side of the structure, it is not an areal support where rigid conduit and bracing would have to be used. I am located in Indiana. I have a 200 amp meter base on my house and I want to upgrade it with all the wires being in conduit, not just old wire coming into the base and out of the base into the side wall of my home. My service panel is literally on the opposite side of the wall. I have one electrician telling me Rigid, another saying EMT and a third holding fast on PVC. I am an Industrial Electrician but I am not up to date on code for residential. I am using 4/0-4/0-2/0 Alum. with a 3 foot tail (required by my local power company at the weather head so they can terminate) into and out of the meter base. I have upgraded the service panel to 200 amp Square D QO last summer. Now comes the outside work this summer. Thanks for any advice you all can give.


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## WireNut (Oct 21, 2007)

*Answered*

Got my answer finally from my local Inspector (sheesh they never call you back in any short time frame!) ANY over head service HAS to be rigid period. Under ground entry sch. 80 PVC is ok. Hope this thread can help anyone else down the road.


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

Is your service like this:










Or is it like this:


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## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

WireNut said:


> Got my answer finally from my local Inspector (sheesh they never call you back in any short time frame!) ANY over head service HAS to be rigid period. Under ground entry sch. 80 PVC is ok. Hope this thread can help anyone else down the road.


The NEC allows EMT, IMC, RMC, PVC even SE cable.

However local amendments and power company requirements are often more restrictive.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

If we go thru the roof poco requires rigid. Otherwise all I run is pvc.


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## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

Bob Badger said:


> The NEC allows EMT, IMC, RMC, PVC even SE cable.
> 
> However local amendments and power company requirements are often more restrictive.


Right, as far as the NEC is concerned, it doesn't matter, but the poco usually requires 2'' imc or rigid...


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## sparks134 (Jan 30, 2009)

RMC is the way to go.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

sparks134 said:


> RMC is the way to go.


Sure, because everyone needs a riser that will outlast every other component of the service entrance. :001_huh:


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## robnj772 (Jan 15, 2008)

Here with all the salt air corrosion I have to deal with all the services in install are in PVC. Anything metal is just going to rust away,service cable gets split and disintegrates from the salt and sun.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

The only place I was required to use a rigid service pipe- even for a temp. pole, was SC at the beach. I couldn't believe it for the temp. They say the sun will ruin it in no time. Of course, if you penetrate the roof then it must be rigid since the mast will be the support.


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

robnj772 said:


> Here with all the salt air corrosion I have to deal with all the services in install are in PVC. Anything metal is just going to rust away,service cable gets split and disintegrates from the salt and sun.


I hear ya. I'm amazed when I drive in that area and see all the meters just floating there.


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

Magnettica said:


> Is your service like this:



If it is I hope you didn't get a permit.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

electricmanscott said:


> If it is I hope you didn't get a permit.


Why? What I'm looking at seems to be a perfectly legal install. 

I know what you're going to say next, and I already have the answer.


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## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

MDShunk said:


> Why? What I'm looking at seems to be a perfectly legal install.
> 
> I know what you're going to say next, and I already have the answer.


Yeah, 3 feet from the window?...


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

MDShunk said:


> Why? What I'm looking at seems to be a perfectly legal install.
> 
> I know what you're going to say next, and I already have the answer.


Looks like a 230.9 violation to my eyes.

GO!


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## robnj772 (Jan 15, 2008)

electricmanscott said:


> I hear ya. I'm amazed when I drive in that area and see all the meters just floating there.


 
Job security.

Poco flags rusty meters all the time. They give the owner 30 days to have it replaced or they will shut it off.

I do more services in one season near the beach then I did the entire time I worked in North NJ.


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

This almost meets the _Exception_. 

The upper sash of the window is locked, permanently.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Magnettica said:


> This almost meets the _Exception_.
> 
> The upper sash of the window is locked, permanently.


I remember you pointing that out when you originally posted that picture. I used to have a link to the kit to permanently lock an upper sash in most windows, but I can't find it now. It's a handy option, when you're between a rock and a hard place like that.


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## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

MDShunk said:


> I remember you pointing that out when you originally posted that picture. I used to have a link to the kit to permanently lock an upper sash in most windows, but I can't find it now. It's a handy option, when you're between a rock and a hard place like that.


Good call on that...I didn't even think about that.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

NolaTigaBait said:


> Good call on that...I didn't even think about that.


I'd venture to say that very few people operate the top sash on all their windows anyhow. If it means otherwise completely relocating the service to some other part of the building, most people can suffer one top sash of one window not operating. It's just one option available to people.


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

MDShunk said:


> I remember you pointing that out when you originally posted that picture. I used to have a link to the kit to permanently lock an upper sash in most windows, but I can't find it now. It's a handy option, when you're between a rock and a hard place like that.


You have a good memory, that was 3 years ago. I don't even think the inspector even said anything about it. That room up there with the 2 windows is actually a clothes closet. This was a weird house because even the staircase was built right in front of a window in the front of the house. Strange.

who wants to see pictures?


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)




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## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

Is that a Classic Electric service?


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## Mike Guile (Jan 14, 2010)

*Conduit*

We've been using this Aluminum Conduit with great sucess.

http://www.indalex.com/website/home.nsf/home?openform&top=products&cat=RigidAluminumConduit


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

NolaTigaBait said:


> Is that a Classic Electric service?


No, that's a fgjfkjerwhgtyejrteru(the competition's)sfgnfhdrhrthrtthrth service.

A Classic service would've had a couple of 2x4's behind that sheet of plywood so the emt wouldn't have been necessary.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Mike Guile said:


> We've been using this Aluminum Conduit with great sucess.
> 
> http://www.indalex.com/website/home.nsf/home?openform&top=products&cat=RigidAluminumConduit


I ran some aluminium conduit some years back in a cafeteria, from the ceiling down to the serving line in several places. They had a guy polish it with buffers and various compounds to where it looked just like chrome. I put that in the back of my memory banks in case I never need really pretty looking exposed conduit for any reason. It was impressive when it was all shined up.


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