§ 8:328. Entrance services and wiring.

(a)

Generally. All entrance services and wiring for electric meters shall be protected by rigid metal conduit. Rules of the National Electrical Code shall be interpreted to mean that entrance services must be fused just after passing through the outside walls of buildings. Where the service cabinet is located at this point fuses will preferably be located in the service cabinet. But where the service cabinet is located at any other point inside the building, the service shall be fused at the outer end of the service conduit. Where the service conduit is embedded in at least two (2) inches of fire proof materials all around the conduit the fuses need not be located at the outer end of the conduit but may be located in the service cabinet even though the cabinet be located away from the point where the service wires pass through the outside wall of the building. Service risers that penetrate the roof and are the sole support of the service lateral or drop shall be not less than two-inch rigid conduit or two-inch intermediate conduit. The point of attachment of the lateral shall be not less than twelve (12) feet or more than twenty-five (25) feet above grade.

(b)

Buried conductors . Cables of one (1) or more conductors or direct burial in the earth shall be of a type approved for the purpose and use, such as types USE and UF. Where single conductor cables are installed, all conductors of each service, feeder, sub-feeder or branch circuit, including the neutral conductor, shall be run continuously in the same trench or raceway. Supplementary mechanical protection, such as a covering board, concrete pad, raceway, etc., may be required by the authority having jurisdiction.

(1)

Insulation. Service lateral conducts shall be insulated for the applied voltage.

Exception: A grounded conductor may be:

a.

Bare copper used in a raceway;

b.

Bare copper for direct burial where bare copper is judged to be suitable for the soil conditions;

c.

Bare copper for direct burial without regard to soil conditions where part of an approved cable assembly with a moisture- and fungus-resistant outer covering;

d.

Aluminum or copper-clad aluminum without individual insulation or covering used in a raceway or for direct burial when:

1.

Part of an approved cable assembly with a moisture- and fungus-resistant outer covering; and when

2.

The nominal voltage to ground of any conductor is not over three hundred (300) volts.

(2)

Size of underground service conductors:

a.

Size of underground service lateral. Conductors shall have sufficient capacity to carry the load. They shall not be smaller than No. 8 copper or No. 6 aluminum or copper-clad aluminum. The grounded conductor shall be no less than the minimum size required by Article 250-23(b) of the National Electrical Code, current Edition.

Exception: For installations to supply only limited loads of a single branch circuit such as small polyphase power, controlled water heaters and the like, they shall not be smaller than No. 12 copper or No. 10 aluminum or copper-clad aluminum.

b.

Size of underground service-entrance conductors. Same as required for overhead service-entrance conductors. See Article 230-41 of the National Electrical Code, current Edition.

c.

Number of service laterals. No building or other structure shall be supplied through more than one service lateral, except for the purposes listed in Article 230-2 of the National Electrical Code, current Edition.

(3)

Protection against damage:

a.

In the ground. Underground service conductors shall be protected against physical damage by being installed:

1.

In duct;

2.

In rigid metal conduit or electrical metallic tubing made of a material suitable for the condition, or provided with corrosion protection suitable for the condition;

3.

In rigid nonmetallic conduit if installed in accordance with Articles 347-2 and 347-3 of the National Electrical Code, current Edition;

4.

By direct burial in the earth. Conductors buried directly in the earth, whether as single conductors or as multi-conductor cable, shall be of a type approved for the purpose. Where necessary to prevent physical damage to the conductors from rocks, slate, etc., or from vehicular traffic, etc. direct buried conductors shall be provided with supplementary protection, such as sand, sand and suitable running boards, suitable sleeves, or other approved means. Conductors under a building shall be in a raceway that is extended to the outer perimeter of the building.

5.

Other approved means.

b.

On poles. Where underground service conductors are carried up a pole the mechanical protection shall be installed to a point at least eight (8) feet above the ground. Such mechanical protection may be provided by the use of approved cable, pipe, or other approved means.

c.

Where entering building. Underground service conductors shall have mechanical protection in the form of rigid or flexible conduit, electrical metallic tubing, auxiliary gutters, the metal tape of an approved service cable, or other approved means. The mechanical protection shall extend to the enclosure for the service equipment unless the service switch is installed on a switchboard, in which case a bushing shall be provided which, except where lead-covered conductors are used, shall be of the insulating type.

(4)

Raceway seal. Where a service raceway or duct enters from an underground distribution system, the end within the building shall be sealed with suitable compound so as to prevent the entrance of moisture or gases. Spare or unused ducts shall also be sealed.

(5)

Underground circuits. Underground circuits shall include direct buried cable to be installed with a concentric ground at a minimum depth of thirty-six (36) inches.

(City Code 1951, Title 8, § 331; Ord. No. 10623, § 1, 5-8-96)