Section 11 Customer’s Service Installation
11.1 General Comments
Information regarding characteristics and availability of service, exact points of delivery and service entrance and location and type of service equipment must be determined by consultation with the Department in planning any electrical work for new installations, for changes brought about by rewiring, for building reconstruction, or for increased load.
The Customer shall normally provide, install, own, and maintain all service cables, meter sockets, raceways, conduits, fittings, wires, fuses, main entrance and meter service switches or breakers, wire troughs, etc., on the Customer’s premises beyond the point of termination of the Department’s overhead service drop, or at the secondary terminals of the Department’s transformer. (Exception: For residential Customers with underground service, the Department will own the service lateral. See Section 8.6, Requirements for Obtaining Underground Residential Service.) The meters and metering apparatus including metering transformers will be furnished by the Department to adequately measure the Customer’s load. Any additional metering requirements shall be paid for by the Customer.
It is important that the Department be notified in advance of any substantial change in the Customer’s equipment or wiring. Consultation with the Department is necessary to guard against the purchase of unsuitable equipment by the Customer, and possible damage to the Department’s service equipment.
11.2 Inspection and Approvals
The wiring, electrical equipment, and appliances of the Customer should be installed in accordance with the requirements of the latest NEC and of authorities having jurisdiction. The Department does not inspect Customer premise wiring. The Department requires the Customer to have the premise wiring inspected and approved by the authorities having jurisdiction before requesting connection to the Department’s service. Where inspection is required, the Department is not allowed to connect to the Customer’s installation until it has been inspected and approved by the authorities having jurisdiction.
The Department reserves the right to refuse connection to any new installation and to disconnect from any existing service, should the Department learn that the wiring is unsafe or that it has not been approved. The authorities having jurisdiction also have the right to require the Department by written notification to discontinue service to an installation which has been found unsafe. The Department is not liable for any damages incurred when electrical service is discontinued under order of the authorities having jurisdiction. The Department accepts no responsibility for injury or damage to the Customer’s premises or to persons on the Customer’s premises resulting from defective wiring or equipment.
11.3 Meter Requirements
Refer to Section 10, Metering Installations and Equipment.
11.4 Service Entrance Conductors
The number and size of service entrance conductors are determined by the class and type of service being rendered. The service entrance conductors shall be sized as prescribed by the NEC or the authorities having jurisdiction.
11.5 Grounding of Service Entrances
The neutral conductor and metallic parts of the service entrance including all meter enclosures, and instrument transformer enclosures, if required, shall be adequately grounded according to the NEC or authorities having jurisdiction.
Typical grounding of service entrances:
- Single phase 120 volt, two wire system: The identified neutral conductor.
- Single phase three wire system: The identified neutral conductor.
- Multiphase systems having one wire common to all phases: The identified common conductor.
- Multiphase systems in which one phase is used to supply 120/240 volt, single phase service: The identified neutral conductor.
The ground shall be made to a driven rod as shown in Drawing and others. Where a metallic water system pipe is available, it should also be connected to the service entrance ground. In no case shall gas piping be used as a ground for electrical services. Grounding requirements are shown on many of the drawings in the service standards. Refer to the service type of interest.
All metal buildings, metal structures, and metal siding on buildings to which electric service is to be supplied shall be permanently grounded to the service entrance ground before service is connected.
11.6 Service Entrance from Overhead System
11.6.1 General Comments
The service entrance meter loop shall meet the requirements of all applicable codes and the Department’s Service Standard requirements. It shall be installed, owned, and maintained by the Customer. In general, the service mast must be above the service drop attachment. See Drawing S-3. The service drop attachment shall be high enough to provide the required clearances in Section 7.3, Clearances. The Customer shall provide the required conductors in the meter loop and leave three feet of wire outside the service entrance head for connection to Department’s service drop.
11.6.2 Service Entrance Masts
When a building is not tall enough to attach the service drop at a point to provide for the necessary line clearances above the ground, a “service mast” or other approved extension shall be furnished and installed by the Customer. The extension must permit the point of attachment to be located at a proper height above ground as defined in Section 7.4, Clearances.
Rigid/Intermediate metal steel and rigid aluminum are approved conduit materials for service masts. Metallic conduits or brackets used as a service mast or extension must be electrically bonded and grounded to the ground wire terminal in the meter enclosure.
Service masts or other types of extensions must be able to withstand the maximum loading requirements placed on them by the service line attached. Mast supports may be used to support loading. Mast supports must be painted or otherwise treated to provide protection against corrosion and rotting. The Department reserves the right to refuse to attach its service drop to any service mast or extension considered to be a hazard to public safety.
The Department assumes no responsibility of any kind or in any manner for any failure of the Customer owned service mast or extension.
Refer to Drawing for typical installation of service mast above the eaves.
11.7 Service Entrance from Underground Distribution System
The service entrance riser conduit shall be rigid/intermediate metal steel, rigid aluminum, or Schedule 40 PVC securely fastened, installed, owned, and maintained by the Customer. Refer to Section 8, Underground Service and Installations. Consult the Department for additional information and specifications.
11.8 Service Disconnecting Means
11.8.1 Disconnecting Means for Services Less than 600 Volts
The Customer is required to provide each set of service entrance conductors with a means of disconnecting all energized wires from the source of supply. The disconnecting means may consist of not more than six switches with over current protection or six manually operable circuit breakers mounted in a single enclosure, in a group of separate enclosures, or in a switchboard.
The disconnecting means must be located in a readily accessible location near the point of delivery outside of a building or structure.
For any 480 volt self-contained meter installations, the Customer shall supply both a non-fused disconnecting means on the supply side of the Department meter AND a fused disconnect required by the NEC after the 480 volt self-contained meter.
All equipment must be U. L. approved and be installed in enclosures suitable for prevailing conditions, such as weather extremes or corrosive environments.
For more details, refer to NEC Articles 230(F) and (G) and any other referenced code.
11.8.2 Disconnecting Means for Services Over 600 Volts
The Customer shall provide a means of disconnecting all energized conductors of each service entrance from the source of supply. The disconnecting means shall comply with the requirements of the NEC Article 230-208 and any other referenced code and/or authorities having jurisdiction.
Where the Customer has self-generation or takes two or more points of service which can be tied together, automatic trip circuit breakers shall be required. Relaying on these circuit breakers should be coordinated with the Department.
For disconnecting means required on service above 4160/2400Y volts, contact the Department.
11.9 Isolation Switches for Services Over 600 Volts
The Customer shall install isolating switches between the supply conductors and the disconnecting means. The isolating switch shall isolate the circuit or equipment from any source of power. (Isolating switches are required as a safety measure and strict compliance is necessary to protect the interest of the Customer and the Department.) The disconnecting means shall separate the conductors of the circuit from the source of supply.
Isolation switches are not required where disconnecting equipment is mounted on removable truck panels or metal-enclosed switch gear units which cannot be opened unless the circuit is disconnected, and which, when removed from the normal operating position, automatically disconnects the circuit breaker or switch from all live parts. Also, fuses or cutouts used with non automatic oil
switches as disconnecting means may serve as isolating switches provided that they can be operated as a disconnect switch and completely disconnect the oil switch and all service equipment from the source of supply. The Customer shall be equipped to operate the fuses or cutouts. Finally, pole top air break switches which are accessible to the Customer’s authorized personnel only and which are arranged so that grounding connection can readily be made on the load side may be used as isolating switches.