Outbuilding wiring / feed to a yard security light

[mridgeelk]

My question about all this relates to the feed for the yard light which comes back from the house, wrapped around the feed from the box below the meter which goes to the subpanel in the house. Is it proper to do so?

The service cables from the power company are spliced to the REA -era (1930s)cable at the top of the pole which then goes down the pole to the meter, the same vintage cable then goes back to the top of the pole and spliced to a new service cable to the house. The violations here are to numerous to mention here, my client was informed of them and advised to have an electrician evaulate this mess. The panel with the bird's nest was powered up, I shut the power off to it as was, at best, it was a fire hazard. It was supplying nothing.

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[Sodapop]

Too many code violations. I think your are in your rights and covering yourself liability wise to say what you did.

I would demo everything and bring everything up to current code standards.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by mridgeelk

My question about all this relates to the feed for the yard light which comes back from the house, wrapped around the feed from the box below the meter which goes to the subpanel in the house. Is it proper to do so?

I can't understand what you're trying to describe.

The service cables from the power company are spliced to the REA -era (1930s)cable at the top of the pole which then goes down the pole to the meter, the same vintage cable then goes back to the top of the pole and spliced to a new service cable to the house. The violations here are to numerous to mention here, my client was informed of them and advised to have an electrician evaulate this mess. The panel with the bird's nest was powered up, I shut the power off to it as was, at best, it was a fire hazard. It was supplying nothing.

What's to evaluate? Just recommend replacing the whole mess.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Richard Moore]

"What's to evaluate? Just recommend replacing the whole mess."

No comment...I just thought it deserved repeating!

[mridgeelk]

Jim, I will try again. The cable that supplies power to the yard light comes from the house wrapped around the cable that supplies power to the house from the box below the meter. Is this acceptable?

Originally posted by Jim Katen

Originally posted by mridgeelk

My question about all this relates to the feed for the yard light which comes back from the house, wrapped around the feed from the box below the meter which goes to the subpanel in the house. Is it proper to do so?

I can't understand what you're trying to describe.

The service cables from the power company are spliced to the REA -era (1930s)cable at the top of the pole which then goes down the pole to the meter, the same vintage cable then goes back to the top of the pole and spliced to a new service cable to the house. The violations here are to numerous to mention here, my client was informed of them and advised to have an electrician evaulate this mess. The panel with the bird's nest was powered up, I shut the power off to it as was, at best, it was a fire hazard. It was supplying nothing.

What's to evaluate? Just recommend replacing the whole mess.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[hausdok]

Hi Ed,

I'm sorry, but I can't figure out what you mean either. Isn't there a simpler way to say it?

The cable that supplies power to the yard light comes from the house wrapped around the cable that supplies power to the house from the box below the meter.

Are you trying to say, "Power is fed to the service panel in the house from the service disconnect beneath the meter at the pole. From there, power to the pole light is via another cable. That second cable wraps around the first cable enroute to the pole light."

If this isn't what you're trying to say, I'm completely lost.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by mridgeelk

Jim, I will try again. The cable that supplies power to the yard light comes from the house wrapped around the cable that supplies power to the house from the box below the meter. Is this acceptable?

So there's a triplex cable from the meter pole to the house.

There's another cable, maybe, wrapped spiral-fashion around the triplex cable?

If so, that's a mess.

Not that it makes a difference, but what kind of cables are they?

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[mridgeelk]

Yes, you got it! Thanks for interpreting for others my version of the English language.

Originally posted by hausdok

Hi Ed,

I'm sorry, but I can't figure out what you mean either. Isn't there a simpler way to say it?

The cable that supplies power to the yard light comes from the house wrapped around the cable that supplies power to the house from the box below the meter.

Are you trying to say, "Power is fed to the service panel in the house from the service disconnect beneath the meter at the pole. From there, power to the pole light is via another cable. That second cable wraps around the first cable enroute to the pole light."

If this isn't what you're trying to say, I'm completely lost.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[mridgeelk]

The cable from the pole to the house is the standard service triplex. The cable wrapped around it is exterior rated. I haved raised two lawyer sons which may have something to do with my lack of ability to explain things without the use of an interpreter.

Originally posted by Jim Katen

Originally posted by mridgeelk

Jim, I will try again. The cable that supplies power to the yard light comes from the house wrapped around the cable that supplies power to the house from the box below the meter. Is this acceptable?

So there's a triplex cable from the meter pole to the house.

There's another cable, maybe, wrapped spiral-fashion around the triplex cable?

If so, that's a mess.

Not that it makes a difference, but what kind of cables are they?

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by mridgeelk

The cable from the pole to the house is the standard service triplex. The cable wrapped around it is exterior rated.

What is an "exterior rated" cable?

Some UF cables are listed as sunlight resistant, but they still can't be used like that.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[mridgeelk]

What I meant by that is the local standard here is to use 12-2 romex meant for inside use for nearly any situation. The wire in question is not of that nature.

Originally posted by Jim Katen

Originally posted by mridgeelk

The cable from the pole to the house is the standard service triplex. The cable wrapped around it is exterior rated.

What is an "exterior rated" cable?

Some UF cables are listed as sunlight resistant, but they still can't be used like that.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Sodapop]

Originally posted by mridgeelk

What I meant by that is the local standard here is to use 12-2 romex meant for inside use for nearly any situation. The wire in question is not of that nature.

Originally posted by Jim Katen

Originally posted by mridgeelk

The cable from the pole to the house is the standard service triplex. The cable wrapped around it is exterior rated.

What is an "exterior rated" cable?

Some UF cables are listed as sunlight resistant, but they still can't be used like that.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

I'm not sure how they can get away with that since NEC 334.10(B)(1) states "..for normally dry locations..."

The 2008 NEC bans type NM cable with in such cases with an addition to 334.12(B)(4) "..shall not be used...in wet or damp locations."

[hausdok]

Hang around Sodapop,

Between Jim, Mr. Electric, you, and a certain electrical guardian angel that lurks around here but doesn't post, folks here are getting some pretty solid information. We're all very happy to have you here.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Sodapop]

Originally posted by hausdok

Hang around Sodapop,

Between Jim, Mr. Electric, you, and a certain electrical guardian angel that lurks around here but doesn't post, folks here are getting some pretty solid information. We're all very happy to have you here.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

Thanks for the support. Although I spend time on another forum, related to electricians, I check in here every day or so.

These forums help keep my head in the game. (Code).

[mridgeelk]

I was being somewhat cynical about the use of the 12-2 wg wire. There is quite a bit of electrical work that is never seen by an inspector. The power company uses contract meter readers that are not very observant. In one instance I found the romex serving a pump at a farm gasoline tank pump outside that that white insulation was gone and some of the individual wiring insulation was also missing. The pump was in daily use. I

Originally posted by Sodapop

Originally posted by mridgeelk

What I meant by that is the local standard here is to use 12-2 romex meant for inside use for nearly any situation. The wire in question is not of that nature.

Originally posted by Jim Katen

Originally posted by mridgeelk

The cable from the pole to the house is the standard service triplex. The cable wrapped around it is exterior rated.

What is an "exterior rated" cable?

Some UF cables are listed as sunlight resistant, but they still can't be used like that.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

I'm not sure how they can get away with that since NEC 334.10(B)(1) states "..for normally dry locations..."

The 2008 NEC bans type NM cable with in such cases with an addition to 334.12(B)(4) "..shall not be used...in wet or damp locations."