ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Mast question (non-DIY)

Hey guys,

I was talking with my dad tonight about how the NEC says cable and phone cannot be attached to a sevice-mast, be it conduit or wood. We both had the same question: Why? Why can't cable or phone attach to the electric mast?

IF anyone's going to say "the cable guy's too lazy to put up his own..." first realize that the cable or phone companies are too cheap to do anything like that.

My dad tells me how he has to rehang drops at night and his supervisor telling him "don't attach to the electric mast." His favorite reply is "then give me a piece of 2X4, nuts and bolts and a hook or this drop's going to be 8feet across the highway." Usually he winds up back there 2 weeks later after the garbage truck goes.

Thanks guys,
Ian A.

Ian ,,

Our POCO start makeing that rule few years back about the drop on the service mast and it was pretty common for Telephone and Cable company do attach it but over the time it get abused and poco dont want it to add on the mast especally with long drop run or area where will get ice in wintertime and they can put on alot of weight in there.

I did see few got bented from the ice or strong winds will do that

Merci, Marc

Marc gives a good reason why Telco and Cable can't be attached to a service mast. Another reason that I believe this is in the code is that if you have Telco and Cable drops right under a power drop nasty things can happen, such as bridles on telco and cable getting pulled off, or worse, if the triplex starts to sag, and abraid against the coax, you could end up with a shield at 120VAC.

BTW, we just relocated a cable drop a couple days ago, all it took was a cordless drill and an eye-bolt

JMHO,
-Will

Thanks Marc and Will.