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    fearnow's Avatar
    fearnow Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Sep 10, 2009, 10:39 AM
    Buried 480 cable, crossing water lines
    Trying to suss out the legality (though I understand that your advise is not legally binding ;-)): We have 480 underground that recently needed repair where it crossed a water line (they had mutually interacted and damaged each other, though the electrical had not tripped any breakers up to that point).

    In order to permanently repair and separate the two we proposed a splice into a road-rated box/vault to the point they crossed(it is on a paved access road between buildings). Our main maintenance group is saying all the buried 480 is against code and needs to be replaced, by virtue of the fact that it is just buried.

    We are on a mountain, maintaining a site in support of astronical sciences, if that makes any difference.

    Does this sound like a code violation of any kind and 2) would the proposed splice and separation be acceptable vis a vis code?

    Thanks for any responses and suggestions.

    Jeff
    stanfortyman's Avatar
    stanfortyman Posts: 5,598, Reputation: 279
    Electrical & Lighting Expert
    		  
    #2

    Sep 10, 2009, 12:38 PM
    What does your electrician say? SURELY you are having a qualified, licensed, insured electrician do this work.
    fearnow's Avatar
    fearnow Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Sep 10, 2009, 12:58 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by stanfortyman View Post
    What does your electrician say? SURELY you are having a qualified, licensed, insured electrician do this work.
    That would be the 'Main maintenance group' I mentioned. My boss tends toward the duct-tape and GIT R DUN side of repair and wanted me to see if I could find justification for his argument that a splice would be acceptable, forgoing having to replace all the underground.

    I'm much more comfortable with having this done right by someone who isn't just related to an electrician: lawd knows there're enough bandaids and fixits on this mountain to wear out an entire box of inspectors' pens. ;)
    stanfortyman's Avatar
    stanfortyman Posts: 5,598, Reputation: 279
    Electrical & Lighting Expert
    		  
    #4

    Sep 10, 2009, 02:12 PM
    Well, IMO a "maintenance group" does not sound like anyone who would be qualified to splice a 480 volt underground service cable.

    If you boss is cheap/stupid enough to have some handyman do this job PLEASE post where this is located so we all know to stay FAR away from there.

    Him having you come to an internet DIY message board for this industrial type of question is a sad statement.

    Good luck in your position. You obviously need it.
    tkrussell's Avatar
    tkrussell Posts: 9,659, Reputation: 725
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    #5

    Sep 12, 2009, 06:44 AM
    Since when is this not allowed?

    Our main maintenance group is saying all the buried 480 is against code

    Stan is correct, time to bring in a qualified electrician.
    fearnow's Avatar
    fearnow Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #6

    Sep 14, 2009, 10:25 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by tkrussell View Post
    Since when is this not allowed?

    Our main maintenance group is saying all the buried 480 is against code

    Stan is correct, time to bring in a qualified electrician.
    The 'Maintenace group' is in fact the Electrical Maintenance side of Facilities Maintenance for the University, so they are all qualified electricians. They did finally argue themselves back to a position that we can all agree is safe, prudent and legal and the ptrescribe repair will go in Wednesday.

    Thanks for all your responses.

    -j
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