I had my electric delivery line replaced

[Oceandevi]

This is where the new braided line meets the 3 lines coming off of my house. It is an aerial line. Is this installed correctly? Is the tape normal?

Pic of splice

 

[dartworth]

who did the work?

was it in inspected?

 

[Oceandevi]

I called the company who owns the line, Oncor. They did not leave a note or anything.

They own the cable that comes down to the house. The demarcation point I think it is called. I assume it was a contractor of theirs. I doubt anyone inspected it.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: Oceandevi
I called the company who owns the line, Oncor. They did not leave a note or anything.

They own the cable that comes down to the house. The demarcation point I think it is called. I assume it was a contractor of theirs. I doubt anyone inspected it.

Know any electricians? If so, have them check it to see if it meets code.

 

[Oceandevi]

Originally posted by: minendo

Originally posted by: Oceandevi
I called the company who owns the line, Oncor. They did not leave a note or anything.

They own the cable that comes down to the house. The demarcation point I think it is called. I assume it was a contractor of theirs. I doubt anyone inspected it.

Know any electricians? If so, have them check it to see if it meets code.

Yeah I am kinda hoping that one of the geniuses of ATOT can help me. I live in texas if that helps. And I plan on getting someone to look at it.

 

[herm0016]

hmm.. if it is the good water-sealing tape it will be ok, but if not its kinda shotty looking to me.

 

[Oceandevi]

Originally posted by: herm0016
hmm.. if it is the good water-sealing tape it will be ok, but if not its kinda shotty looking to me.

It is electrical tape, nothing special, not even that heat shrink stuff.

 

[RESmonkey]

The line that brings electricity to your home? And he used elecrtrical tape? Dunno if that will survive if it is outdoors. (I'm just guessing here).

 

[dartworth]

give TheSeige a PM...he works as an electrician

 

[Elstupido]

Looks fine to me, a crimped splice covered with tape on an overhead service, as near as I can tell from the photos. The key is to keep the splices away from each other so they don't short out if they should happen to touch each other from the wind etc.

Just look at 14400 volt lines and higher that have no insulation at all. As a former electrical contractor, I will say you are fine.

 

[Oceandevi]

Originally posted by: Elstupido
Looks fine to me, a crimped splice covered with tape on an overhead service, as near as I can tell from the photos. The key is to keep the splices away from each other so they don't short out if they should happen to touch each other from the wind etc.

Just look at 14400 volt lines and higher that have no insulation at all. As a former electrical contractor, I will say you are fine.

good to hear. The lines are quite stiff and are over a 1 foot apart.

 

[Sphexi]

I would never do anything with tape that would be outdoors like that, how much time/cost would it be to slide on a bit of heatshrink tube over the wires, then crimp/tape it, slide the tube back over and run a friggen heat gun over it? The tape will peel off no doubt, especially if things freeze where you are in the winter.

 

[Elstupido]

That looks like a typical overhead service installation. I am sure if you look around a bit, you will see hundreds of overhead services just like that.

Compare, and don't worry about it

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: Elstupido
Looks fine to me, a crimped splice covered with tape on an overhead service, as near as I can tell from the photos. The key is to keep the splices away from each other so they don't short out if they should happen to touch each other from the wind etc.

Just look at 14400 volt lines and higher that have no insulation at all. As a former electrical contractor, I will say you are fine.

They also are suspended so and kept away from anything else. These are free, can get wet, and eventually this tape will age and come apart. I'm not sure I like it...

 

[Elstupido]

Sphexi, how many extremely high voltage lines have you seen that have insulated conductors, shrink tube? Hell, this is only 220 volt, and the reason for the tape is to provide protection against a short circuit should the wires happen to touch each other. Take a look at a bunch of overhead services, and tell me what you see. Granted, shrink tube may be used, on some, but it is not code, or necessary.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: Oceandevi
This is where the new braided line meets the 3 lines coming off of my house. It is an aerial line. Is this installed correctly? Is the tape normal?

Pic of splice

You're fine.
That tape is the least of your problems if lightning took the feed out in the first place.

BTW.... proper nomenclature requires me to inform you that we are discussing your "Service Entrance Feeder Cables".
You say "electric delivery" and I'm thinking either sparks or a bright lime green Scion Xb.

 

[Sphexi]

Originally posted by: Elstupido
Sphexi, how many extremely high voltage lines have you seen that have insulated conductors, shrink tube? Hell, this is only 220 volt, and the reason for the tape is to provide protection against a short circuit should the wires happen to touch each other. Take a look at a bunch of overhead services, and tell me what you see. Granted, shrink tube may be used, on some, but it is not code, or necessary.

Just because it's not minimum code doesn't mean it's not a good idea. The reason minimum code changes is because fires happen and people die. The tape will come off eventually, and then there's a possibility of them shorting. Maybe not a huge chance, but the few minutes it would've taken to do a proper job would've been well worth not having to risk it.

 

[smittybg]

i work for an electrical contractor and this is perfectly fine and safe.....Those are butt splices put on with an hydroulic press, and the tape is more for covering those up. if they used stoch super 33 tape it will stick for a long time. they seem to have done a good job

 

[huberm]

its not electrical tape its called splicing tape. It is much more powerful than your standard electrical tape. It is kind of like chinese handcuffs in that you pull it real tight to put it on, then it bonds to it. I cannot confirm this, but have always heard people say if it is put on human skin it has to be surgically removed.


*edit - actually, after looking at the picture closer, it really looks like standard electrical tape!

 

[Elstupido]

Ok, the really proper way to make that splice is with rubber spice tape followed by standard tape. and it looks like the OP has that.

The rubber tape acts like a weatherproof seal and the regular tape is just insurance, but no real need for either

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Sphexi

Originally posted by: Elstupido
Sphexi, how many extremely high voltage lines have you seen that have insulated conductors, shrink tube? Hell, this is only 220 volt, and the reason for the tape is to provide protection against a short circuit should the wires happen to touch each other. Take a look at a bunch of overhead services, and tell me what you see. Granted, shrink tube may be used, on some, but it is not code, or necessary.

Just because it's not minimum code doesn't mean it's not a good idea. The reason minimum code changes is because fires happen and people die. The tape will come off eventually, and then there's a possibility of them shorting. Maybe not a huge chance, but the few minutes it would've taken to do a proper job would've been well worth not having to risk it.

shrink tube will also eventually dry out and fail. At least with waterproof tapes you can put on a few layers.

I am taking it these are above the normal reach of anyone walking by and the tape wrap is just an extra measure.

 

[Oceandevi]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Sphexi

Originally posted by: Elstupido
Sphexi, how many extremely high voltage lines have you seen that have insulated conductors, shrink tube? Hell, this is only 220 volt, and the reason for the tape is to provide protection against a short circuit should the wires happen to touch each other. Take a look at a bunch of overhead services, and tell me what you see. Granted, shrink tube may be used, on some, but it is not code, or necessary.

Just because it's not minimum code doesn't mean it's not a good idea. The reason minimum code changes is because fires happen and people die. The tape will come off eventually, and then there's a possibility of them shorting. Maybe not a huge chance, but the few minutes it would've taken to do a proper job would've been well worth not having to risk it.

shrink tube will also eventually dry out and fail. At least with waterproof tapes you can put on a few layers.

I am taking it these are above the normal reach of anyone walking by and the tape wrap is just an extra measure.

9-10 feet in the air.

 

[alkemyst]

That looks typical of what I see around here then. I have always wondered about it but it's never an issue I guess.