What to put behind service entrance?
I never seem to get hits when I do searches???
What is the best way to prep for the service entrance with regards to siding? With my current home I mounted directly to wall and put j-channel around (vinyl siding) and simply caulked the elbow going into the house. This is bad detailing to my mind.
The new house will likely be clear finished cedar clapboard, but possibly FC depending on the way the cost shakes out. Do you folks typically run the siding into the entrance with a caulk joint? What about putting a piece of solid ceder on the house first that is slightly larger than the box? Also, how to treat the penetrations for the phone and electrical going into the house? Unfortunately, the site layout dictates the entrance be near the main entry, and therefore will be noticeable even with screening shrubbery…and I need to be satisfied with it even if others can’t see it.
While on this subject, my current house uses j-blocks with flanges for hose bibs, lights etc. What do I use with cedar clapboards?
Replies
Do you have the option of putting everything underground?
BoJangles - Do you mean taking the main feed into the house first, then back out behind the meter? I'm not sure. I've only had a brief talk with CVPS, who operates a bit differently than CL&P here in CT. They said I owned everything from the pole to the house, but they still have requirements for the meter and such, and diagrams show typical "on the wall" installation.
IdahoDon - Nope, that's me talking. I want to maximize my distance from the road without upgrading to bigger wire or using a transformer, so I don't want to trench the power around to the rear of the house.
If I were to put the meter on the north side of my garage it would be directly under an 18" overhand and not subject to much weather exposure and it would be out of view. What would I do from there? I really would prefer to take all 200 amps to the basement.
I mean...do they allow you to use a meter pedestal for the feed from the pole? The cable and phone can go into the house and come back out behind the boxes if you want to clean it up a little.
Large vinyl siding adapter blocks are available to mount behind the meter if you don't go underground. They work very well. Pad the inside of it with plywood and mount your meter.
If I were to put the meter on the north side of my garage it would be directly under an 18" overhand and not subject to much weather exposure and it would be out of view. What would I do from there? I really would prefer to take all 200 amps to the basement.
You need a box where the service reaches your house, but from there you can treat your basement box as a subpannel.
Another way around that is taking the conduit directly to the interior/basement pannel, but the conduit has to be covered with 2" of concrete the whole way. You haven't felt silly until you've formed and poured a 7"x7" square tube of concrete between 2x6 studs. As with all seldomly seen activities in frustration, check with the inspector before doing this for an electron blessing. String romex clamps on a bare copper wire like rossary beads and pray little sparky prayers.
Think of the conduit coming into the house like a drain pipe and cut a strip of concrete so it can come straight in and end up in the right place in the basement. Heck, the wire and box you'll save will make up for a significant portion of the concrete cutting and repair. Besides, you've always wanted an excuse to rent a miniexcavator haven't you?
Cheers!
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
In some locales, you CAN box right over the meter base...Mine recently got switched out to a digital read out, that can be scanned from quite a distance via RF.
Here's the kicker, it is just under my Sat Dish, and it cross talked with that feed...trust me, it was a real headache to figgure out what went askewy, but I did.
My NID for phone is also right there, it too went south when that new meter base arrived.
I'd check your poco rules, you may be able to completely hide the meter behind a wooden "bat box".
But like I said, watch out for interference with a sat dish....
Inmate # 40735 At Taunton Federal Penitentiary.
I've noticed that my electricians pull the phone and CATV wires through the wall further form the meter base than I would have thought necessary - like maybe 3 or 4'. My preference would have been to have all the utilities "neatly" clustered together. Maybe this cross-talk issue with the new digital meters is the reason?
Could be the reason, I ain't up on it, as to why they do anything,I moved my own NID, three times, rebuilding and sheathing the wall. (G)Inmate # 40735 At Taunton Federal Penitentiary.
http://www.midamericabuilding.com/p_mount_blocks/meter_block.php
Quick and easy! I cut a 5/4 treated to place behind the meter block
By using ice and water it's possible to make water tight flashing for the penetrations. The first piece comes up from the bottom with a long "U" cut in the top edge that goes around the conduit that penetrates the sheathing. Another piece then comes down from the top and is stretched a little as it goes around the conduit. If the quality of the cutout is good it's not only water tight, but essenitally air tight.
As always the bottom of the ice and water should shed water towards the outside of other water protection so ultimately any moisture back there has a way to get out from under the siding.
Typically it's best to side the small area where the boxes mount prior to actually having them placed. Along the same lines it's easier to flash if you're there when the electrican is mounting the box and can simply make a nice round circle in the ice and water. If pressed in from the non-sticky side the conduit will slide in an undersized hole and when drawn out slightly will roll the edges so the sticky side seals.
Any butt joints in the siding can be flashed so they are no more prone to leak than solid sections.
Unfortunately, the site layout dictates the entrance be near the main entry
That sounds like an electrican talking. I have yet to see a house where we couldn't run the entrance around a hidden corner.
Good wiring
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
I mount all boxes/fixtures that penetrate the wall on a "light block" essentially, a block of what-ever wood looks appropriate to your job(usually in 5/4" stock), attached to the house at the desired location,then any penetration is cut through the block into the house and the fixture/box installed onto the block, dripcap is installed on top of the block and siding butts to the block, you can seal around the fixture/box with caulk if needed but don't seal the bottom, this will allow any water that might get behind the box/fixture to drain out.
you can size the block to whatever proportions look right for the box/fixture you are mounting and you can seal around the block prior siding to prevent water intrusion.
Geoff
Similar to Geoffry in that I place a piece of 5/4 behind the service.
I cut mine about an inch smaller in height and width to allow the siding to butt in behind the meter.
I have always hated the appearance of the service feed to the panel being drilled through the siding and bond and be finished off with caulk. When I can time it with the electrician, I bore a hole through the foundation just under the floor framing.
A little hydralic cement patches in the conduit.
Terry