Power Line responsibility


  #1  
Old 11-16-04, 06:42 AM
deep6blue
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Power Line responsibility

Does the power company typically own the lines all the way to the meter on the house? Or does their responsibility end at the pole? Does this include the piece that attaches the line to the house (what is that thing called?)?

While installing an outdoor light recently, I noticed that there was some bare wire showing through the insulation on the supply lines from the pole. It also appears that there has been some "repairing' with electrical tape on the wire.
 
  #2  
Old 11-16-04, 07:17 AM
Savant
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When installing an electrical service in a new home, an eletrician installs all the equipment, including the pipe, meter socket and wires running up the side of your house, commonly called a 'mast'. The electrician will leave a few feet of wire hanging loose at the top, where the power utility will come and make their inital connection.

You may have seen some connectors on the wire near the top of the mast, most likely where the wires hang in a bit of a 'loop'. (it's called a 'drip loop' and they leave the wires loose so water won't follow the cable and run down the mast into the meter socket) The wire on the HOUSE side of those connectors was installed by an electrician for the homeowner/home-builder. The wire on the other side would have likely been installed by the local power utility or authorized contractor.

It's sorta like telephone service. The phone company is responsible for the telephone cable up to the demarcation point on the side of your house. After that it's your responsiblility. With electrical you can consider the 'demarc' to be the point where those connectors are on the wire at the top of the mast. Usually, the wire on the house side of the connector is an issue for you to have an electrician look at, while the street side is an issue for the utility.

However, do not attempt to repair this yourself. You don't want to take that chance.

Regards,

Savant
 
  #3  
Old 11-16-04, 07:33 AM
deep6blue
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Thanks.

I definately wouldn't touch those wires!

We don't have a "mast". The wires go up from the meter, around to the side of the house, up the eave, then loop and go the the pole. I'll have to check to see where the wires are actually connected. Then I will call whoever is appropriate.

What is that ceramic connector called? It has the wire cable (not the power supply line) that supports the power line attached to it.
 
  #4  
Old 11-16-04, 09:08 AM
pgtek's Avatar
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: north Carolina
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Hi
there insulators
there made of ceramic with is a non eletrical conductor.

cheers
 
 

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