Tiny service entrance question

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Anyone ever seen anything like this? The neutral at the service mast is spliced to a tiny, solid (perhaps size six or eight) conductor from the utility line. This is the smallest neutral I've ever seen. Don't recall ever seeing a splice like this.

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by jfunderburk

Anyone ever seen anything like this? The neutral at the service mast is spliced to a tiny, solid (perhaps size six or eight) conductor from the utility line. This is the smallest neutral I've ever seen. Don't recall ever seeing a splice like this.

Attachment 45044

Canadian:

Size of neutral conductor

(1) The size of the neutral conductor shall have sufficient ampacity to carry the unbalanced load

(3) The size of the service neutral shall not be smaller than the size of a neutral selected in accordance in subrule (1) and shall not be smaller than:
(a) #10 AWG copper or #8 AWG aluminum

[James E. Braun, CMI]

A local line worker once told me the current standard is the neutral cannot be no smaller than the power.

[Robert Meier]

Given the fact that it hasn't burnt up I'm guessing that the size isn't a problem. Could have been left over from an old 30 amp service that was upgraded at some point.

[Jeffrey R. Jonas]

Just have it evaluated when the lack of a drip loop gets corrected.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Utility companies pretty much get to do what they want, and they get to make the call here. It's an open-air conductor and probably capable of carrying more load than would ever be necessary.

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by jbraun

A local line worker once told me the current standard is the neutral cannot be no smaller than the power (?????).

Please explain what "the power" is?

[Brian A. MacNeish]

The NEC not have a rule on the neutral conductor size??

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by Brian A. MacNeish

The NEC not have a rule on the neutral conductor size??

There are several. However, the service drop conductors in this photo would not fall under the purview of the NEC.

[agallatin]

Jeffrey is correct . The electrical companies make their own rules . Here the codes starts after the meter .