Overhead wires

[David C. Macy]

What are the wires that are attached to the SEC that tuck up under the siding?

thanks

Dave

[Speedy Petey]

About the only thing they can (or should) be are grounding electrode conductors.

[brian winkle]

looks like someone ran some TV wires or something and wrapped them around the service messenger before running them into the house.

[Kevin M. Kenny]

I just got off the phone w/ my buddy the electrician, nothing should be coming off that except the three service conductors. If nothing else that just looks like a serious accident waiting to happen.
Kevin

[pdacey]

Looks like someone may have been trying to ground their cable or satellite TV to it.

Or phone

or all three.

[Blaine Wiley]

Someone trying to steal power?

[Speedy Petey]

Originally Posted by bwiley

Someone trying to steal power?

From what? Just the neutral?

[Speedy Petey]

Originally Posted by kkenny

I just got off the phone w/ my buddy the electrician, nothing should be coming off that except the three service conductors. If nothing else that just looks like a serious accident waiting to happen.
Kevin

Sorry, your friend is wrong.
The GEC can terminate there if one chooses. It's not the most practical spot, but it is legal.
The connection can be made anywhere from that point, down to the neutral/ground bar in the main panel.


250.24 Grounding Service-Supplied Alternating-Current Systems
(A) System Grounding Connections A premises wiring system supplied by a grounded ac service shall have a grounding electrode conductor connected to the grounded service conductor, at each service, in accordance with 250.24(A)(1) through (A)(5).
(1) General The connection shall be made at any accessible point from the load end of the service drop or service lateral to and including the terminal or bus to which the grounded service conductor is connected at the service disconnecting means.

[Blaine Wiley]

Originally Posted by Speedy Petey

From what? Just the neutral?

The picture doesn't come up well on my screen (very dark). I couldn't tell if it was on one wire or two. Of course not from the neutral. Thank you for the sarcastic question.

[Speedy Petey]

I was actually going more for humor than sarcasm.

It is two wires but they are both connected to the bare messenger.

[Greg Fretwell]

If this is going to the ground electrode it makes perfect sense from a lightning standpoint but running it under the siding sort of defeats the purpose. You are trying to keep the fire outside the house.

[Kevin M. Kenny]

Originally Posted by Speedy Petey

Sorry, your friend is wrong.

Originally Posted by Speedy Petey

(1) General The connection shall be made at any accessible point from the load end of the service drop.

I have included your reference and was just wondering; Since the load end of the service is on the house side of the meter, what part of the load end was being depicted in the picture David presented. I don't quite see what you are seeing.

Originally Posted by Speedy Petey

250.24 Grounding Service-Supplied Alternating-Current Systems
(A) System Grounding Connections A premises wiring system supplied by a grounded ac service shall have a grounding electrode conductor connected to the grounded service conductor, at each service, in accordance with 250.24(A)(1) through (A)(5).
(1) General The connection shall be made at any accessible point from the load end of the service drop or service lateral to and including the terminal or bus to which the grounded service conductor is connected at the service disconnecting means.

Ther is something wrong with this picture, have it evaluated.

[Greg Fretwell]

This is the picture from the handbook. It shows the load end of the service drop is at the service head, not the meter.

Exhibit 250.8 An AC service supplied from an overhead distribution system illustrating three accessible connection points where the grounded service conductor is connected to the grounding electrode conductor according to 250.24(A)(1).

[Speedy Petey]

Thank you Greg. I looked for half an hour last night for that pic online.

The words "load end" are key here. The end of the drop where the load is.

The wires after the meter are the service entrance conductors.
The wires ahead of the meter are the service conductors.
The wire in the air is the service drop.
The wires underground are the service lateral.

[Bernard W. Foster]

In most cases the overhead service, wire belongs to the utillity company and they don't allow foreign attachments.

Bernie
BW Foster Home Inspection.Inc