Working on a house built in 1967 upgrading panel from 100 to 200 amps current power comes in from near by pole under ground but over priced up grade from PG&E (5 to 6k) forces me to go over head this is a three story house and to keep it all looking good I want to run conduit from new weather head about 35 feet on the inside. Looks like two 45s and one 90 with 2 inch conduit and 2/0 copper wire what is code for type of conduit? and please do not tell me to get a pro that has not worked out for me as I end up reworking what I paid a so called pro to do, Besides this is DIY so lets keep to it.
Conduit type?
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What Kbuz said. You absolutely CANNOT go inside with the pipe.
So you had a bad experience with one contractor, I've had plenty of bad experiences with customers. If I were you I'd get quotes from a few electricians on keeping it underground. There is no way that you are compelled to use the POCO for this. See what an actual electrician will cost.
Conduit type
I am on the west coast so we answer to PG&E for our power when I asked the question I was looking over pg&e green book (there code bible) page 4-16 Figure 4-29 conduit from weather head is running through top plate so it must be in the wall. I was hoping to run IMC to combo meter/disconnect if code let me. I was industrial maintenance guy in silicon valley a long time back and bent a lot of conduit a pulled a few feet of wire plus working on it hot at times when we could not shut down machines or computers. So home wiring and putting in a 200 amp panel is not rocket science and pex is way easier then sweating copper pipe. I am just looking for latest code so I make the inspector happy, it is all I live for. I have given up trying to find good subs there is not enough time to tell the many bad stories. So this is DIY and that is what I am doing.
I am on the west coast so we answer to PG&E for our power when I asked the question I was looking over pg&e green book (there code bible) page 4-16 Figure 4-29 conduit from weather head is running through top plate so it must be in the wall. I was hoping to run IMC to combo meter/disconnect if code let me. I was industrial maintenance guy in silicon valley a long time back and bent a lot of conduit a pulled a few feet of wire plus working on it hot at times when we could not shut down machines or computers. So home wiring and putting in a 200 amp panel is not rocket science and pex is way easier then sweating copper pipe. I am just looking for latest code so I make the inspector happy, it is all I live for. I have given up trying to find good subs there is not enough time to tell the many bad stories. So this is DIY and that is what I am doing.
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Your POCO has NO say on what happens once their power hits you home. Even the service riser is not under their jurisdiction.
It must suck that the whole state of California does not have one decent electrician. And no, obviously electrical work is not rocket science. Pretty much everything that is not rocket science is not rocket science. But it IS important to know the codes and how to do it right. If a rocket scientist get's something wrong the rocket explodes over the ocean and billions of dollars are lost. If you get it wrong your house may burn down with your family in it, or someone you love could get hurt or killed simply by toughing something.
Simply put, no, electrical work is not rocket science, but getting it right is just as important.
It must suck that the whole state of California does not have one decent electrician. And no, obviously electrical work is not rocket science. Pretty much everything that is not rocket science is not rocket science. But it IS important to know the codes and how to do it right. If a rocket scientist get's something wrong the rocket explodes over the ocean and billions of dollars are lost. If you get it wrong your house may burn down with your family in it, or someone you love could get hurt or killed simply by toughing something.
Simply put, no, electrical work is not rocket science, but getting it right is just as important.
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Sometimes you can request a site visit to have then tell you what they will approve for an attachment point.
Here when a new service or service upgrade is done they come out and tell you where you can put the weather head.
Have you asked them how much it would be if you dig the trench install the conduit and pull the wire? Is the current service wire in conduit if so what size conduit is there?
Here when a new service or service upgrade is done they come out and tell you where you can put the weather head.
Have you asked them how much it would be if you dig the trench install the conduit and pull the wire? Is the current service wire in conduit if so what size conduit is there?
I have looked at the PG&E Greenbook, section 3 and 4.
Secion 3
Section 4
All overhead service diagrams show the service located on side of buildings
Secion 3
PG&E requires applicants to install a conduit system for underground
service laterals. They have to use the correct document to the appendix.Section 4
All overhead service diagrams show the service located on side of buildings
I am talking about current line from poll to meter underground, I had a site visit last week from engineer and he said that for them to do there part run new wire down the side of pole to three inch underground conduit that I would install to meter on side of house it would cost 5 to 6 thousand bucks, Pole is very close to house so we are looking at 65 foot run from top of pole to meter, the pole is owned by the big three together AT&T COMCAST and PG&E no one goes up the pole but them, so I thought about going over head were I would do all the work myself (per code owner/builder) weather head to meter but on a three story house the service riser will look like s**T so over priced hook up fee from utility company to go under ground for 5 hours of work is what I am stuck with. And please lets stick to the diy idea there are a lot of people like me who can build a safe home from the ground up, it is not rocket science.
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A) Don't quote a time that you think something is going to take. You have NO clue what it takes to run an underground service. Please don't downplay the difficulty of this job. YES, $5-6 grand for just the underground part is absurd, but it is also NOT "5 hours work".
B) You already used up your use of the lame term "It's not rocket science". Please refrain from any further use. :tongue_smilie:
C) Did you even ask what the procedure is if you use a private contractor??? Most POCO's don't want anything to do with small residential jobs like this. Which is why the price it through the roof, so it makes it worth their while. Their overhead is sky high compared to a typical contractor.
Even in insanely overpriced SoCal a 200A upgrade, with 65' trenching and underground could not be much more than $5000-7000 COMPLETE.
I am talking about current line from poll to meter underground, I had a site visit last week from engineer and he said that for them to do there part run new wire down the side of pole to three inch underground conduit that I would install to meter on side of house it would cost 5 to 6 thousand bucks, Pole is very close to house so we are looking at 65 foot run from top of pole to meter, the pole is owned by the big three together AT&T COMCAST and PG&E no one goes up the pole but them, so I thought about going over head were I would do all the work myself (per code owner/builder) weather head to meter but on a three story house the service riser will look like s**T so over priced hook up fee from utility company to go under ground for 5 hours of work is what I am stuck with. And please lets stick to the diy idea there are a lot of people like me who can build a safe home from the ground up, it is not rocket science.
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Just contact them and say you will run the conduit from your home to the pole and pull the wire through. I have never heard of a POCO saying you could not do the work or hire someone to do it for you that is cheaper. What size conduit is the current service wire in now?
I will repeat what is in thier Green Book
Section 3
Call them about doing this and than they just pull the wire thru the conduit.
Section 3
PG&E requires applicants to install a conduit system for underground
service laterals. They have to use the correct document to the appendixCall them about doing this and than they just pull the wire thru the conduit.
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1,995 Posts
They won't allow you to pull your own wire?
Sorry I did not mean to repost the last post, thanks Osa954 I will look into that, both homes to my right and left are over head but they may have a rule once underground you have to stay under. Old service is 100 amp panel on corner of house in conduit size one and a half inch wire looks like #2 AL comes down side of pole with no break or junction under side walk to my meter, current meter is to close to gas meter and needs to be moved about 12 feet. Total run for new meter with disconnect is 65 feet from top of pole. Engineering estimator from PG&E stated time and price and I do all the digging and lay conduit to pole.
Sorry I did not mean to repost the last post, thanks Osa954 I will look into that, both homes to my right and left are over head but they may have a rule once underground you have to stay under. Old service is 100 amp panel on corner of house in conduit size one and a half inch wire looks like #2 AL comes down side of pole with no break or junction under side walk to my meter, current meter is to close to gas meter and needs to be moved about 12 feet. Total run for new meter with disconnect is 65 feet from top of pole. Engineering estimator from PG&E stated time and price and I do all the digging and lay conduit to pole.
I will repeat what is in thier Green Book
Section 3
PG&E requires applicants to install a conduit system for underground
service laterals. They have to use the correct document to the appendixCall them about doing this and than they (PG&E) just pull the wire thru the conduit.
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