Electrical Service outside a weather head?

[gfield]

1947 house. Saw this on this morning's inspection:

runs to this:

Possibly coincidental with adding the more-modern sub-panel, the person who did the wiring routed it over the existing weather head and through the mast shown.

Have any of you seen wiring of this quality and type, and can this really be to code?

As always, this beginner appreciates the help and continuing education from all who offer it.

[John Dirks Jr]

Wider angle pictures might show more but I see three issues.

1. No drip loop at the splice.

2. The weather head should not be laying sideways.

3. Inadequate support for the service entrance cable.

[Marc]

Is that a 'male 90' water pipe fitting at the lower left corner of the second photo?

Marc

[gfield]

Wider angle pictures might show more but I see three issues.

1. No drip loop at the splice.

2. The weather head should not be laying sideways.

3. Inadequate support for the service entrance cable.

I concur on all three defects.

[gfield]

Is that a 'male 90' water pipe fitting at the lower left corner of the second photo?

Marc

Yes, sir. That is what it appears to be.

Honestly, this is the one major area of concern about the whole house. Everything else appears well-maintained and up to snuff.

[Jim Baird]

poco usually has no inspectors...if muni doesn't either it's the wild west.

[gfield]

To fix a failure on my side of the meter box (and concurrently to switch to 200-amp service) in my own home 5-6 years back, I did a bunch of wiring while being unhooked form the power, and the power company would not hook me back up until the city inspector approved the work. Fortunately, I did everything right and got it approved right away.

This house is also city of Seattle, and I doubt this work got any approvals

[Jim Katen]

It might just be the picture, but it looks like those insulators are about to pull away from the wall.

[Jim Baird]

...now, thanks to Jim, I think I see that point of attachment was removed from prior wall cladding then stuck back onto new lap wood stuff...at the cost of the drip loop it used to include...

[gfield]

It might just be the picture, but it looks like those insulators are about to pull away from the wall.

They definitely are. there are only two fasteners, and both are pulling away from the siding.

[gfield]

...now, thanks to Jim, I think I see that point of attachment was removed from prior wall cladding then stuck back onto new lap wood stuff...at the cost of the drip loop it used to include...

IMO, it's difficult to say at what point the drip loop was sacrificed.

[SNations]

Have any of you seen wiring of this quality and type, and can this really be to code?

It's safe to say that we've all seen wiring of this lousy quality, and a lot worse. My advice: Don't ever look at something and say to yourself that it can't get any worse than this. Because it can.

[John Kogel]

The original 1947 weatherhead is there, still in use but in a horizontal position.

Yes, you are correct to call that mess out for immediate repair. I wouldn't bother with code rules for something like that. No intelligent person will deny that it is wrong and hazardous.

[mjr6550]

Bracket is pulling off of house.

Insulation may be deteriorated.

Hard to say, but does not look like 100 amp SEC.

[gfield]

Thanks, gentlemen, for sharing your knowledge.

[Jack Davenport]

Wider angle pictures might show more but I see three issues.

1. No drip loop at the splice.

2. The weather head should not be laying sideways.

3. Inadequate support for the service entrance cable.

Add this to the list :

#4) service head should be attached above the point of attachment of the service drop or overhead service conductors.