What is the purpose of the service entrance?
Service entrance means the entrance into a building, which is normally used by persons entering such building for the purposes of delivering goods or rendering maintenance service as opposed to the main or principal entrance and shall include a door giving access to a garage.
What does the entrance panel consist of?
A modern service entrance panel consists of an enclosure housing the breakers or fuses and associated wiring. If located outside, the enclosure must be weatherproof which keeps rain and moisture from interfering with the electrical parts.
What does Ser mean in electrical?
What is SER cable? SER cable is known as aluminum service entrance cable which is a type SE (service entrance), Style R (reinforcement tape) cable that is commonly used to deliver power from the service drop down to the meter base, and then from the meter base to the distribution panel board.
What is an underground electrical service entrance called?
Power Underground With underground service, the service lines between the utility transformer and the house are known as the service lateral, and the service entrance conductors often travel up to the service panel rather than down from the roof.
How far can you run service entrance cable?
The NEC simply says as close as practical. Some locations do impose an actual distance number. Most areas have a limit of 5-6 feet into the structure to the main panel/disconnect.
Does service entrance cable need to be in conduit?
(1) Service-Entrance Cables. So, you'll either need to have this service-entrance re-run with a conduit, or see if you can get your local electrical inspectors to sign off on using bollards (i.e. concrete-filled metal poles) to protect the meter pan and service cabling as Machavity suggests.
What are the 2 types of service entrance?
Service Entrance (SE) cables are electrical cables that bring power from electrical companies to residential buildings and our homes. The National Electric Code (NEC) indicates that service entrance cables are essentially used for services. SER and SEU are two common types of SE cables.
Who is responsible for the service entrance cable?
3 SERVICE ENTRANCE CABLE: You are responsible for the wire that runs along the outside of your home into the meter and from the meter to your service panel or fuse box. 4 METER BASE: You are responsible for the metal box that houses the meter.
What type of wire is used for service entrance?
All service-entrance cable is rated 600V and is listed in sizes 14 AWG and larger for copper and 12 AWG and larger for aluminum or copper-clad aluminum conductors.
Can service entry wire be buried?
4/0-4/0-2/0 AL URD Service Entry Electrical Cable features aluminum-compressed conductors with a vulcanized interlinked polyethylene insulation. This Cable can be directly buried or placed in a duct.
Can I use PVC conduit for service entrance?
A service entrance utilizes PVC conduit but there are two 90's and metal rather than PVC 90's are used. In many installations this is used to prevent the scoring of the inside of the PVC conduit as the wire passes through the bends.
Can you bury service entrance cable?
A: No! The NEC prohibits SER cable from being installed underground at all; not direct buried and not in buried conduit. Try looking for MHF (Mobile Home Feeder) which can be direct buried.
What is inside a panel board?
A panelboard is a component of an electrical distribution system which divides an electrical power feed into branch circuits, while providing a protective circuit breaker or fuse for each circuit, in a common enclosure. A panelboard services to protect branch circuits from overloads and short circuits.
What components are found on the panel board?
Electrical Control Panel Electrical ComponentsMain circuit breaker. This is like the disconnect of the main electrical panel leading into a home or office. ... Surge arresters. ... Transformers. ... Terminal blocks. ... Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). ... Relays and contactors. ... Network switches. ... Human Machine Interface (HMI).
What is inside the panel box?
An electrical panel (a.k.a. breaker panel) is a metal box with a door, usually built into a wall in an out-of-the-way corner of your home. Inside, you'll find all your home's breaker switches. You can toggle breaker switches on and off.
What is a service entrance equipment?
Service entrance equipment means facilities on the property owner's side of the point of delivery that are necessary to accommodate service from a public utility.
Your Service Panel Is The Connection Between Wires Coming from The Street and Your Home's Electric System.
The service panel is the central distribution point that connects the service wire or service drop, which is the main wire coming from the outside...
Some Houses Really Do Have A Fuse Box.
It still applies to older homes. Older homes still have what is best called a fuse box because they have actual fuses which screw or pull in/out. H...
All of Your Home's Power Is Located in The Service Panel.
The electrical service panel provides 100, 200, or more amps of power to a home. Power comes into the house from a "service drop," connects to the...
Homeowners Are Allowed to Work on It, but Many Choose Not to.
Most homeowners only have the experience of opening the outer door of the electrical service panel to flip on a disabled circuit breaker. However,...
Inside Are Lugs, Breakers, and wires.
After removing the outer panel, the homeowner will see: 1. Lugs and thick wires that go up and connect to the service drop. In this picture, these...
It Is Dangerous to Work on. Especially The Service Lugs.
Yes. Unlike the shock from a receptacle (which may or may not be fatal), a shock from the lugs will most certainly be fatal or seriously hurt you.I...
You Can Add More Circuits and Circuit Breakers Inside Your Service Panel as Long as There Are Spaces.
It is doubtful that all of the available spaces are taken up by circuit breakers. So, yes, it is possible to add more circuit breakers if there are...
What is service entrance?
Service Entrance. Where electrical power enters a building or other source, the National Electrical Code (NEC) requires electrical distribution equipment rated as "Service Entrance.".
Where is the service entrance for a mobile home?
Additionally, service entrance for mobile homes is generally located within 30 feet of the mobile home. This location requirement by the NEC and the common use of underground service feeders, combine to make service entrance on a pedestal the preferred installation method by many park owners.
How many main breaker disconnects are required for service entrance?
Such service equipment usually consists of one main breaker disconnect or space for up to 6 main disconnects.
What Is the Electrical Service Panel?
The electric service panel is the connection between the external wires coming from the street and the internal wires of your home's electric system. The service panel is the central distribution point that connects the service wire or service drop—the main wire coming from the outside into the house—to the exit wires that split off and service different parts of the house. These exit wires are called branch circuits or branch wire circuits.
What is a lug breaker?
Lugs or main breaker and thick wires that go up and connect to the service drop. Circuit breakers. Open or spare spaces for extra circuit breakers (optional) Assortment of wires that run from the circuit breakers to the circuits that service areas of the house.
What is a service panel?
Electric service panels have a number of different names: fuse box, fuse panel , circuit breaker panel. Today, most homes have what is officially called the electrical service panel, or simply, the service panel. A circuit breaker panel is not exactly the same as the fuse box because it has mechanical, toggle-switch circuit breakers, not fuses, ...
What tools can touch electrical wires?
The exposed service panel, screwdrivers, wire cutters, wire strippers, pliers, and more are items that can potentially touch parts of the service wires and transmit an electric shock to you.
How to tell if there are more spaces in a circuit breaker?
Generally, you can determine if there are more spaces by looking at the metal knock-outs on the panel itself. Any space that is not knocked out should be available for the insertion of another circuit breaker, but not always: Remove the cover to see how many open spaces are available.
Where is the power in a home located?
All of your home's power is located in the service panel. The electrical service panel provides 100, 200, or more amps of power to a home. Homes built between 1950 and 1965 may have these 60-ampere fuse boxes, often with four fuses. Power comes into the house from a service drop, connects to the service lugs within the service panel, and is split into separate circuits throughout the house.
Is it dangerous to work on an electrical panel?
It is dangerous to work on an open electrical service panel with both the door and the protective front cover removed. Unlike the shock from a receptacle, which may or may not be fatal, a shock from the service lugs will most certainly be fatal or seriously hurt you. In the service panel, two black heavy-gauge wires enter the panel from the meter base or a remote disconnect. The main entrance cable can enter the panel from the top, bottom, or even the sides. These are the ends of the service wires that come into your house from the outside. Avoid touching these wires or anything that these wires touch.
What is a service entrance cable?
SER cable is SE (Service Entrance) Style R, which has a reinforcement tape and may be made of copper or aluminum. SEU cable is SE (Service Entrance) Style U, which means it is unarmored.
What is a conductor in electrical?
Definition: The conductors (electrical cable with multiple wires) that connect and carry the electrical current the service conductors (drop or lateral) above ground to the service equipment of the building. It can also be used as a panel feeder and in branch circuits.
What is a SEU cable?
SEU cable is SE (Service Entrance) Style U, which means it is unarmored. It is typically used as a panel feeder in multi-unit residential settings. Both types should be rated at 600 volts and 90ºC, and is for use in both wet and dry conditions.
What is the purpose of service entrance conductors?
The service entrance conductors connect to a utility meter, which records all electricity used by the house. After the meter, there are three service conductor wires that come into a service panel: two hot feeder wires and a neutral wire that bonds to the case ground of the service. This ground is then connected and bonded to both the water piping within the home and a ground rod driven into the earth near the service panel.
Where does the primary power come from?
For customers with overhead electrical service, the primary power comes from the utility company's power lines via a transformer mounted on the power pole. The heavy lines that hang between the transformer and the house are collectively called the service drop. These must be a minimum of 12 feet above a driveway.
How deep are service laterals?
The service lateral cables must be protected in the ground by conduit until they reach a depth of four feet.
What do you call before digging a house?
At this point, they often make the horizontal run to the house without conduit. This is why you must always "Call Before You Dig;" that is, call the 8-1-1 hotline to have all utility lines marked before you dig anywhere on your property. You don't want to hit a 200-amp electrical cable with a shovel.
How high should a service drop be?
The point of attachment to a house's service connection should be a minimum of 10 feet above the ground. The service drop typically connects to the house at the top of a vertical pipe called a masthead or weatherhead. This connection point is called the service point and in many cases represents the dividing line between the utility and the customer. From the service point, the service entrance conductors carry the electricity to the home's service panel or breaker box.
Do you need to have an underground service line?
While most older homes have an overhead service connection, underground services are now the standard and are the favorite among homeowners for several reasons. These buried lines are more appealing to the eye and the surrounding landscape than power poles and overhead lines draped across the yard. Underground lines also don't have to contend with tree branches, which cause so many problems for overhead lines during inclement weather. But just like overhead service line feeders, there are rules that must be followed when installing underground lines, and underground feeders present their own dangers.
Do underground lines have to be inclement weather?
Underground lines also don't have to contend with tree branches, which cause so many problems for overhead lines during inclement weather. But just like overhead service line feeders, there are rules that must be followed when installing underground lines, and underground feeders present their own dangers.
How many conductors are in a service mast?
There are three conductors coming to the service mast in the overhead service drop, two ungrounded conductors (hot legs) and a separate grounded conductor (neutral). The hot legs have black thermoset, polymer or other nonmetallic conductor insulation. If all three wires are connected to the service mast that runs through the roof, ...
How tall should a service mast be?
Flat roofs need to have at least 8-feet of clearance and balconies need at least 10-feet of clearance.
Can you attach a telephone to a service mast?
For safety reasons, do not attach television, telephone, cable or other wires to the service mast. Only the electric utility conductors are permitted to be attached to the service mast.
Can you install an electric meter underground?
Utility companies install electrical distribution either below ground or above ground, and they make the decision on which one will be used in your installation. The long-term overall cost is less for overhead electrical distribution compared to underground distribution, but sometimes the utility will install underground distribution, but it comes with an additional installation and maintenance cost to the property owner. The location of the electric meter will be determined by the electric utility based on the size of the service, the type of service and the type of distribution equipment, such as a transformer or distribution pedestal.
Is a service point public or private?
Sometimes they are on public property, but sometimes they are on private property . Utility companies own everything up to the service point, the point of connection between the serving utility and the house premises wiring system, and the service point is often on private property.
Do service drop conductors have a fuse?
The major safety issue here is that the service drop conductors have no fuse, circuit breaker or any kind of overcurrent protection at their supply end; they are directly connected to the utility’s distribution grid and are energized at all times.
What is the service head on a house?
When the service drop reaches the house, it connects to an assembly called the service head, also know as the service mast or masthead. Typically, a service head consists of a rigid steel conduit (like a big pipe) that runs up through the roof or along an exterior wall and is topped with a shell-like fitting called a weatherhead or weather cap.
How many wires are in a service drop?
A standard service drop includes three cables, or conductors. Two are insulated "hot" cables, each carrying 120 volts of electricity (240 volts across the two wires). A third cable, usually bare (uninsulated) aluminum wire with a steel core, serves as the neutral conductor and provides structural support for the entire service drop.
What happens if a service drop goes down?
If the service drop goes down, all power in your home will shut off. Catastrophic events, such as downed trees, large fallen limbs, or heavy ice buildup, can take down a service drop. Fallen service drops are extremely dangerous, since they carry enough electricity to power an entire house. Do not approach a fallen service drop.
What is the name of the loop in a service line?
Near the service point, the service cables make a downward loop, known as the drip loop. This is a simple system that uses gravity to prevent water from running down the cables and into the service head. Beads of water traveling down the outside of the cables collect at the bottom of the loop, where they eventually drop off of the cable.
What are the dangers of underground service lines?
On the downside, underground service lines are at risk of being struck by construction crews or possibly even homeowners digging in their yards.
Why are underground lines preferred?
Buried lines are preferred primarily because they are not vulnerable to falling trees, high wind, and other destructive effects of weather.
Can you do your own electrical work?
While homeowners in many municipalities are allowed to do their own electrical work, this applies to household projects, like replacing outlets and lights, running electrical cable, and maybe even installing new circuits. However, homeowners are not allowed to work on any part of the utility's service drop.
What is the purpose of a NEC breaker?
This main circuit breaker prevents the building from demanding too much current from the utility creating a dangerous conditions.
Is there an overcurrent protection on a non-service entrance switch?
There isn’t any over-current protection within a non-service entrance rated transfer switch. Therefore, when you install this type of transfer switch, it will be after the service disconnect panel. If you find a non-fusible manual transfer switch, it does not have over-current protection. Non-fusible switches are not service entrance rated ...
