ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion Canadian Electrical Code Topics Meter heights and Masts

Just wondering what others think.
When doing service upgrades i will run across where theres not enough height on the wall to mount the meter at the prescribe height and have enough area to support the mast.

the first pic raised an eye brow as my inspector told me there should be 4 ft of mast between the top of meter and the highest support bracket.




this 2nd pic is one i did to compensate for the lost height. of course this pic is much more work to accomplish




[This message has been edited by dougwells (edited 07-18-2006).]

I'm not familiar with this "4 foot rule." I'm interested in where it comes from.

Appendix B, 6-112(4)(c) is a rule about the projection above the roof.

I think its an BC Hydro (POCO) requirement

4 feet of mast between the top of the meter and the highest support?? that means you have four feet to install the three required supports on the wall for the mast. That seems a little odd as a rule, I could see some installs where you had no choice, but imagine if you had 10 feet above the meter until you hit the soffit, all your brackets are grouped in the lower 4 feet. I would Checdouble check that rule again.

then we extend the mast with EMT and change the meter hub to a threaded one
Theres an Adapter to transition from the mast to EMT also.

From appedix B 6-112 the mast definitions only state that there must be at least 3 supports. 1 at the roof line and 2 on the wall and capeable of supporting a 270 kg cantelever load. The maximim unguyed length above the roof is 1.5 meters. If the mast can support the side load with less than 4 feet below the roof then I think it is OK but maybe the mast cannot normally support such a load with such a large cantelever above the roof and the 4 foot thing arises from that.

My inpsector pointed out I am lucky to have an intermediate pole at my property line (30' away). Otherwise the cantilever load of the triplex crossing my front street would be too great for the height of my mast. (Green garage door is only about 6'6" high).



[This message has been edited by u2slow (edited 07-27-2006).]