Temp. Electrical Service

[Jimmy C.]

I am ready to have temp. power at my site. I called the power company and they told me I would need to install a temp. service pole before they came out and surveyed the layout. I know very little about this.  I would rather install this myself. Can you guys give me suggestions?  

[Okie_Bob]

Jimmy, I'm NOT a licensed electrician but,
You'll need the pole set where you want it with a full copper ground rod along side it. Then a meter base mounted on the pole and then a breaker box of some sort to turn off the power. Suggest you just go ahead with a box on the outside of your cabin with a feed thru going into the breaker box you will mount on an inside wall.
Or you could just come out of the meter base to another box mounted on the pole that has a main breaker and several receptacles in the same box. The breaker would shut off power to all the recpts and any other sub breakers in that box. Then you could at least run an extension cord from the temp pole to your cabin.
Hope that helps.
Okie Bob

[Amanda_931]

I've a "trailer pole" which amounts to more or less the same thing.  I paid a guy to "build" it--buy the pole with a box and meter base already on it at he local Ace Hardware, just put a meter (or did the electric company do that?  probably the utility company) couple of breakers in it, come off with the outlets I needed.  After it was put in, it got inspected.  Which didn't amount to much because the guy did this all the time and they knew him.  But it wasn't cheap, especially how little he did.  But then I don't know how much the hardware store charged.

Around here, the local utility company charges more--a lot more--for temporary service, and there's a limit.  Too many people signing up for temporary service and then using it forever--i.e., they didn't get a septic tank or their electric setup inspected.

[Jimmy C.]

Thanks for the info.
I found this web page on the subject.
http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/homewiringusa/2002/maindwelling/overtemp/index.htm

Ace Hardware in Emory Texas has a complete 16 foot pole with A 200 amp service panel and meter box ready to put in the ground for 346.00
I think that is the way Im going to go.
It can go from the pole to the side of my house when it is ready.

[Shelley]

But, But...

Different ele companies have different regs.  How far the temp pole can be from the main line for instance.  They probably said that off-the-cuff thing not realizing that you were going to DIY.  You need to sit down with their cons't people and make sure that you understand exactly what they want.  Otherwise, they come out, stick their noses in the air and refuse to hook up til you do it their way.

And, you ought to check around with some ele contractors unless you want and are able to wire your house yourself.  Here, we can't.  Must be licensed ele.  Contractor provided and set the temp pole for $250.  Ele company should have a list of contractors that they recommend.

That price for the 200 amp panel and accessories is very attractive.

[glenn kangiser]

Also my electric co. here wanted to approve the pole - actually a permanent one before they hooked up to it.

I went solar form there - dumped them so don't know any more. :-/

As Shelley mentioned - you should check with them also.  Some have fliers to tell you what they want.

[JRR]

Different service companies are just that ... different.  

Some companies will provide the temporary service, the company installing the temp pole or using their own existing power pole ... of course they add a bit to the monthly service fee while the temp service is in use, but it's worth it to me not to have to bother with buying'installing something I later don't need.  I have a Sequatchee(sp?) Electric provided temp service on a project in TN.

Another project site in the Atlanta area, will require me to provide the temp pole ... but the Ga Power did, on request, provide a drawing that shows all their requirements.  (I going to approach them again and see if they would consider providing the total temp service outright.)