# Service drop mast



## mofos be cray (Nov 14, 2016)

Most masts go through the overhang and not the roof over the living area so it's easy assess from underneath if you're concerned. The most crucial thing is using the appropriate boot for the roofing material. ( and, of course, how to install it correctly)


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## FL JW (Jul 16, 2021)

mofos be cray said:


> Most masts go through the overhang and not the roof over the living area so it's easy assess from underneath if you're concerned. The most crucial thing is using the appropriate boot for the roofing material. ( and, of course, how to install it correctly)


Yeah, I figured. Honestly, I'm just really paranoid about screwing up right now. I'm a very new EC, and I'm doing residential work for the first time in my career since I was a 2nd year apprentice, and it would just really be ruinous if I did something dumb


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## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

As long as the existing mast is still acceptable in your location, why not? Does it look bad? It's not like it's worn out or anything. New hub, new weatherhead, new wire, good to go.


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## wiz1997 (Mar 30, 2021)

How do you plan on supporting the mast while you remove the meter can?
Leaving the mast in the boot while wrestling with getting the conduit loose from the meter could easily damage the rubber boot.
The older the boot the more likely you will damage the boot.
Now you have a potential leak point.

Just pull the old mast out from on top of the roof so you don't damage the rubber boot.
Stand on the metal part of the through the roof flashing while pulling the conduit up.
Not all are nailed down, some are just fastened there with chalk to allow for slight movement.

99% of the service upgrades I have done didn't have through the roof masts.

I had to drill through the soffit (if one was there) and the roof itself.

Carefully measuring from underneath and a long 1/4" bit to locate the hole.

I would layout out my center of the conduit, drill 1/4" hole from bottom straight up.

Use a small piece of wire to "feel around" to verify how close to a roof rafter you might be.

Drill 2-3/4" (depending on mast diameter, leave a little wiggle room) hole up from the bottom, check clearances, drill hole from top, remembering to drill straight down, not at the angle of the roof.

If you don't want to mess with the roof top, get a roofer to do the boot for you.
Remember to slip the boot over the mast before attaching anything to the mast.

If I was paying for a new service, I would expect all new.


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## Slay301 (Apr 23, 2018)

Why don’t you just bend a 6” offset to go around the soffit


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## J F Go (Mar 1, 2014)

See if a carpenter or roofer will help you out. This is how I have done it a few times on old roofs.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

Slay301 said:


> Why don’t you just bend a 6” offset to go around the soffit


Of course you are a commercial/industrial electrician to say that. haha Most resi guys don't have hydraulic benders and beside how would you support the service drop if you went around the eave. It wouldn't be strong enough.


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## wiz1997 (Mar 30, 2021)

Slay301 said:


> Why don’t you just bend a 6” offset to go around the soffit


Because it looks like you don't know what you are doing.
Statement made by a commercial/industrial electrician.
Residential is side money.

My soffits are 24" wide, an offset for that would be just ugly.
And the meter can would be way below required height.

Some utility companies require 2" rigid conduit no matter what size wire is used from the weatherhead to the meter can.

Most eve boards are thin and don't make secure attachment points.
Just about all the service goosenecks I replaced were attached to the eve boards, which ripped out during a storm or rotted away.

Easier to drill holes in the roof. IMO

Be brave, just drill it.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

wiz1997 said:


> How do you plan on supporting the mast while you remove the meter can?
> Leaving the mast in the boot while wrestling with getting the conduit loose from the meter could easily damage the rubber boot.
> The older the boot the more likely you will damage the boot.
> Now you have a potential leak point.
> ...


The mast should be clamped in two places so it should stay in place when the meter socket is removed.

What I can’t figure out is the upgrade to 125A with a 2” mast. Why not 200A?


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## Slay301 (Apr 23, 2018)

Dennis Alwon said:


> Of course you are a commercial/industrial electrician to say that. haha Most resi guys don't have hydraulic benders and beside how would you support the service drop if you went around the eave. It wouldn't be strong enough.


Actually I am a well rounded electrician I don’t commercial, industrial, and residential. If it makes dollars it Im there not limiting myself to one style of work. But, we just have prefabbed offsets for services sitting at the shop. And I’ve never had a problem with them not being supported enough. Just use 2 minis and tie it back to the roof even ones that go through the roof we tie back to the roof. If your charging 2000$ + for a service you can atleast put up a new mast. I would ask anyone who does a bunch of services why wouldn’t they have some offset mast laying around for when storms roll through. We keep a minimum of 10 pipe services in stock at the shop at all time. From the wire to the meter to the panel and mast


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## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

I've never done an offset service mast or even seen one for that matter. If I'm going to poke a hole in a roof it's going to be for a mast with a proper boot/flange, not a guy wire.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

There’s no need to be timid about drilling a hole. If you hired a roofer, he would go up there with an axe and be up and down in under five minutes. The boot allows wiggle room. After you do the first one, you won’t have any hesitation.


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## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

99cents said:


> The boot allows wiggle room.


Very generous wiggle room has been my experience.


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## FL JW (Jul 16, 2021)

J F Go said:


> See if a carpenter or roofer will help you out. This is how I have done it a few times on old roofs.


That's what I'm going to wind up doing. I've gathered 1 or 2 cards from roofers for this


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## yankeejoe1141 (Jul 26, 2013)

I've never done a service mast through the roof but I've done plenty of bathroom fan vents in roofs, I'd imagine they gets flashed the same, lower shingles under top shingles. Around here it's 99% asphalt shingle roofs and I would do try one on those roofs no problem. (I think) But it would be a different story with another roofing material like slate or something, then I would call in some help for sure.


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## readydave8 (Sep 20, 2009)

I reuse existing 2" mast unless it's bent


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## HertzHound (Jan 22, 2019)

To me, the rigid mast should last a lifetime. It’s the roof flashing that should be replaced. Imagine five years into a new service and they need a D&R to replace the leaking flashing. A D&R would be a pretty expensive job to replace a $6.00 part. I guess at that point the homeowner would just mop the hell out of it with tar. 

If it’s just an asphalt roof, it’s a pretty easy job.


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