What do you like to use to splice the service entrance cable to the utilities service when doing residential service changes. Here the utility company can take up to 3 weeks to change a service over but we can make the connections and they will reconnect them later when they descide to show up. Remember you are doing this hot.

Split Bolts

Dave

H-crimps....

Dnk..

I have seen split bolts, set screw inline splices, crimps, insulated splice blocks, insulated terminal blocks and, ( are you ready for this one ) NM connectors, with or without tape.
Connectors are not returned or left at the job site so expense [ as always ] competes with safety.
Alan--

I like the Polaris insulated connectors for the hots. I think they are about $15 each. A split bolt for the ground. If I had a crimper that would be my 1st choice.

Tom

Burndy Crimps!

I used to work for a guy who would have us use 3/4" romex connectors.

You guys do this out of a bucket? Can't imagine doing it off a ladder.

If I never get to reconnect a service drop, I won't regret it. Those of you who do it, what precautions do you take? Does anyone meg out your entrance conductors first? That probably sounds excessive, but the idea of a 10kA fault occuring a foot from my face while I'm twenty-five feet up a ladder, is enough to make me pause.

=John

Walrus, we do it both ways. Off ladders, in a bucket, off the roof, the bucket is easiest...

John, we do a tap test. Tap the wires together before you hook them up....


Dnk...

[This message has been edited by Dnkldorf (edited 02-14-2006).]

Dnk, that's the "tapas turn" test right?
tap as you turn your head

Quote:
"John, we do a tap test. Tap the wires together before you hook them up...."

Y'all don't cross check with a voltmeter first?

Not trying to step on your toes but don't you think that testing it with your meter would be a lot safer? Plus imagine an employee who "tap tests" as was taught or condoned by you and ends up badly burned or dead from an arc flash, think of the liability.

Tap test?? Can someone explain that to me?

Tap test is when your ready to due the splices, after, I repeat after, you double check everything, you simply tap the two wires together that you are ready to splice with a crimp.


Dnk..

Dnk, thanks for the clarification. Is it me or out of habit does everyone tap the wires together before splicing? Kind of like when you touch a bare conductor that you KNOW is dead, I still tap it with my finger. Had my father laughing at me while I was working in his house, he asks if I even realize Im tapping the wires with my finger before I grab them, told him it's a habit.

Imagine jump-starting a car when you can't tell the polarity of the batteries. You connect three of the clamps, then you . . .

Not to knock anyone's prefered testing methods, but I can't say the idea of a "tap test" appeals to me very much. Seems like you'd still get one heck of an arc-flash if there were a short somewhere.

What about a setup with two alligator clips, and a 5A cartidge fuse and a 12 ohm power-resistor in-line with the alligator clips? Hook one clip to an entrance conductor, and then do the "tap test" with your other clip. At least that way if you have a fault somewhere, the rig might limit the arc-flash you'd see.

-John

I tap test 15 to 20 amp circuits. But a service entrance? Heck no! Test with a megohmmeter and/or voltmeter first. And don't forget the PPE.

I must be missing something here ... we pull the old meter, mount the new meter can near it, use the old SEC (load side) as the feed to the new meter, do a temp tap to the new SEC (load side) within the new meter can then plug the meter back in the old socket and put a plastic blank in the new can to keep hands and birds out. No muss, no fuss, not hot til we plug the meter in. Split bolts are in the new can. The POCO then comes along and either replaces or moves the SEC from old can to new.

Steve, what I am talking about is when you have evrything done doing a service.The panel is in, new meter can mounted, Se cable ran, ect...

The last thing I do is install the meter,check voltage, and turn on the breakers...

The second to last thing is making the connections to the utlity line, via bugs, crimps, ect...

This is what I am saying, after making the nuetral splice, I am now ready to make the first hot splice. I strip the wires, then "tap" the one SE wire against the hot utility, before I grab it and make a splice. If there is something wrong, I'll see it before I put a non-reversing crimp on the wires...

Some of you may take this a bit far as exploding in my face, but "tapping" it first, is far better than me grasping it first..
It's an old habit...Keeps me from getting scared and falling off a ladder, or a bucket, or whatever...

I'd be intersted in how many of you, actually break out a megohmeter and test the SE cable before splicing it?

Dnk...

I just do a quick continuity check with a fluke meter.
Lately I have been using the ILSCO IPC KUP-L-TAP it is a self piercing tap that does not require any stripping of the wire. I was a little hesitant at first because it does not seem like it would make an adequate connection vs stripping the wire and a split bolt. But I have not had any short term problems with them little pricey though about 15 each

I use the Kup-L-Taps as well. The higher price is worth it to me for not having to play around with stripping the live drop and taping an energized split bolt while working off a ladder. The things are reusable, so I do try to get them back from the utility when they come out to make their permanent connections. I use a standard split bolt on the neutral to save a few $.

Have experienced no reliability problems with them at all, even on a couple installations where the PoCo never replaced them.

I ALWAYS check the wiring for shorts/grounds with a meter before making up the service drop splices.

As far as a know in central NJ PSE&G does not come back to redo the splice so what we do is perminate. I usally will also tape the taps friction and plastic since they do not get removed. Maybe the tape is overkill, I dont know but I do it anyway.

Here in central Maine the power comany is the ONLY one that connects to their lines. You can't even pull the meter unless there is a IMEDIATE danger. If a electrician tapped or retapped the SE cable to the power company lines I'm pretty sure the penality would death by hanging!

I wish Frank I would love it I hate tyeing in live it is so nice when you get a new construction job and the poco does the tie in when they bring there drop in from the pole

We do it all the time here in Chicagoland and ComEd very rarely comes to re-connect it. I personaly like Hi-pressing the wires myself and then rubber taping them just to be safe. Never with the meter in though.

I use a megohmmeter on any type of feeder, before I energize it. It only takes a couple of minutes.

I've used bugs (split bolts), the "butt connector" splices that you tighten with an allen wrench and the insulation piercing version.

Tap Test?