Repl trim board under elect srvc anchor
Without having the electric power disconnected at the pole…. How can you safely replace the trim boards at the gable peak (I forget the proper name – rake board?) where the insulated anchor is bolted in for the neutral/guywire of the electric service?
Replies
Too close to too much current to even consider it !!!!!!!!!! Not to mention the anchor screw is holding up the weight of the service line and it's beyoud crazy to even think about in the setup you have in that picture.
You don't disconnect at the pole, you erect a temporay pole near the service entrance and PoCo Re tie to that till yer all done doing what yer doing. They MAY want you get a permit for temp installation ( the pole has to be x by x braced by x and so on)..
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
" the best investment in life, is a handle on love''
The wire looks like it is in pretty bad shape,judging from the picture. If the insulation is cracked/brittle, it may be a good time to have that replaced,. Replace the board while the electrician is there.
Northeastvt
Yep, whole new service is in the plans real soon. The south exposure sun and weather sure did a number on the existing wire sheathing.
Boy, I've got the deal of a lifetime here in Albany, Georgia. You might want to ask your utility about it.
For a mere $100, they will run the service underground. Trench, wire, everything but the hook-up to your meter. If you have to change out the meter base to make it configure right, they even give you the meter base. They're encouraging undergorund service, to keep from future problems with trees and limbs.
You ought to ask. It would really neaten up that install.
Greg
If it was just the anchor bolt, I'd just chisel away the board until I could split it around the bolt, then notch the new board around the bolt (with some extra flashing inserted above the bolt to close the hole).
But the SE cable stapled to the fascia is too much to deal with, especially with the insulation in the area visibly cracked.
happy?
Dan - I don't like your idea about cutting the rake board loose. That is probably a bolt that is only 2" long, maybe a bit more. No telling what it goes into when it goes through that rakeboard. You chisel off the rake and if there's nothing real solid behind it, the tension from that wire to the pole pulls the insulator loose and you either have the whole service held by the connectors on the wire or it snaps the connectors and you have live wires from the pole laying on the ground. Either way it gets messy quick. The power co comes in and says not our responsibility - call a private electrician. You likely get hit for a new mast, plus an emergency call, maybe a new service. Better off waiting until the service is being changed, then do it all at the same time, or call sparky up front.
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
If it was only the rake board holding that anchor in place it would have pulled out a long time ago. The rake board, especially being nailed in place, provides zero additional holding power. And that bolt is a lot longer than two inches.
If ignorance is bliss why aren't more people
happy?
No need to disconnect at the pole. Measure, precut and pre-finish the replacement board. Get a competent electrician with a helper. He will disconnect and tape off the wires, then literally hold the cable in his (gloved) hands for the 10 minutes it takes you to rip out the board and put the new one in. Then he will reconnect everything PROPERLY (hint).
Have done this many times. Make sure the weight of the cable is supported by a structural member underneath, NOT the trim board.
DG/Builder
Phil - Don't play with it. Call the electrician. Do it right, we are looking forward to seeing you at TIPIfest. It would be a shame to just mourn your passing instead.
As far as the poster that talked about an underground system for $100.00, that made me smile. Can you imagine LIPA doing that? Probably pay double that or more for the application fee.<G>
Hope all is going well.
Don K.
>>Get a competent electrician with a helper. He will ... .... tell you you need a new service drop: There are at least 4 breaks in the insulation exposing live wire and the and it looks like the outer coating is gone, leaving the neutral exposed below the weatherhead.The time for an upgrade is now.
Fighting Ignorance since 1967
It's taking way longer than we thought
I am waaaaay ahead of you. Yep, I know I need a new service. I should have originally stated that I wanted to know how to replace the trim board AFTER the vertical service line from the meter is removed, and before a new service is installed.
I've seen too many re-siding jobs where the questionable trim boards were just covered up with aluminum capping. I do not want that on my house. I have no idea how old that trim board is nor what is underneath it. I'll feel better with new solid trim board and a new insulated anchor that I know is driven into the solid 2-by underneath.
I should have originally stated that I wanted to know how to replace the trim board AFTER the vertical service line from the meter is removed, and before a new service is installed.
Oh, of course. That explains everything. Well to replace that board you remove it and nail up a new one. ;-)
"A job well done is its own reward. Now would you prefer to make the final payment by cash, check or Master Card?"
Wizeazz! ;-)
The horizontal line from the utility pole would still be there attached to the insulated anchor!
Hey, will ya hold the aluminum ladder while I cut this line?
>>"Hey, will ya hold the aluminum ladder while I cut this line?"
Sure, you got it. I love the smell of ozone in the morning. It smells like . . . victory. ;-)
"A job well done is its own reward. Now would you prefer to make the final payment by cash, check or Master Card?"
An electrician would unhook the power, insulate the wires very well, tie off the triplex to a temporary location, unhook the neutral from the insulator, then reverse the procedure. New thing here is 4 wires to the house, 2 hots, neutral, and ground. Maybe you can get the service to the house changed out if you are getting a new panel inside, and swap out the trim board at the same time.
Normally, if they replace the service entrance with a proper mast, the drop from the pole will be moved to hang directly off the mast, and the existing anchor would be removed (or left for you to remove).
If they still are using the anchor after the upgrade (and there's no point during the upgrade when they have the drop disconnected) I'd split the board and notch the new one as I described earlier.
If ignorance is bliss why aren't more people
happy?
Our local power company will come out and drop the service entry back to the street pole with an advance call of about a day or two. Then the linemen give you their number and you call them when your part of the work is done and they come back before days end to reconnect them. Best of all its free as they want folks to do things safe and correctly.
You run your generator to keep the homeonwers fridge cold, you give the two linemen a couple cold drinks or buy them lunch and all is right with the world.
And we're in a large metro area (over 1.5 million people) so I'm sure alot of utilities offer this even if it has a small charge involved.
A painter friend of mine was killed (electrocuted) at 42 years old years ago while painting a house so I don't take any chances.
Mike
Edited 3/18/2006 11:48 pm ET by Oak River Mike
don't even think about moving that by yourself...get an Electrician to move it and at least replace that cable
.
.
'Wer ist jetzt der Idiot?'
E-mail BillHartman and ask him what to do ;-}
Schedule an electrician, if the line is in good condition he will half-hitch and tie off the POCO line, cut the service drop loose + tape, remove the house knob (lagged insulator) so that you can replace the rake, while he replaces the drop, meter and probably panel due to the water damage that will have been caused by the SE cable being exposed to the weather.
Bigman
"E-mail BillHartman and ask him what to do ;-} "
Sorry, I'm not getting the joke.
yur cold...........Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I'm sorry, he has just pissed me off, and I can't get over it, reminds of this guy I worked with that you couldn't have a conversation with because he new everything and was constantly correcting everybody. He didn't know Jack Sh!t, turns out he wasn't licensed and did not even have a GED.
Bill doesn't even come close to fitting that profile...
not even a shade of close... Bill is good....
ecept for this one time...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Where was Bigman when we needed him?I don't know if you where around during this or not.http://forums.prospero.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=53896.31Orginally she/he/it posted under the name El, but has since changed the user name.Also found him/her/it posting under MistressEl in another forum. Did not claim that tape would block RFI, but did have other wild claims.
Bill: definitely entertaining but whoever posted that stuff was either yanking your chain or totally nuts.
Given the amount of effort that seems to have gone into it, I'm leaning toward totally nuts.
"A job well done is its own reward. Now would you prefer to make the final payment by cash, check or Master Card?"
A lot of well written...
BTW... G8 is gonna advise you to send that truck load of Nutro....
so don't be too surprise...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
http://forums.prospero.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=71180.117I am waiting.
I am shocked that the power company would allow such a situation to exist. If I encountered that situation I would advise a new set up for the mast and meter socket. The power company wil allow you to set up new service and then once the inspection passes they will come out and hook up the new service. That would solve your problem and prevent a possible nasty situation.
I've seen far worse.
If ignorance is bliss why aren't more people
happy?