I have to wonder what the Idea is to have a rule that serves no other purpose than to make things harder and more expensive for
residents. The event that brought this to my attention involved a house that had been without power for 48 hours from storm
damage, the service had been repaired exactly as Raymond had requested and the electric dept refused to reconnect because of
the 3' window rule. With absolutely no concern about leaving a resident out of service.
residents. The event that brought this to my attention involved a house that had been without power for 48 hours from storm
damage, the service had been repaired exactly as Raymond had requested and the electric dept refused to reconnect because of
the 3' window rule. With absolutely no concern about leaving a resident out of service.
This is not the first time that the city has tried do it yourself electric code and totally botched it, the other one concerning
water line grounding in that case the attempt was so amateurish that is was actually funny but while it does create a
unnecessary hazard it most likely will not really affect anyone, but in this case this causes people real hardship.
water line grounding in that case the attempt was so amateurish that is was actually funny but while it does create a
unnecessary hazard it most likely will not really affect anyone, but in this case this causes people real hardship.
When confronted about this code Raymond said that the 3' from window rule is so that if the house is fully engulfed and fire is coming out
the windows the firemen will not have to get near the fire coming out the window to turn the power off.
What a crock of BS, at that point what difference could it possibly make if the power inside the house is on or off, the circuit breakers
have probably already tripped, at that point the real electrical danger in a fully involved house fire is the service wire falling from the house
and it should be disconnected at the pole. If this was really a problem the answer would be to have the disconnect not on the house at all.
the windows the firemen will not have to get near the fire coming out the window to turn the power off.
What a crock of BS, at that point what difference could it possibly make if the power inside the house is on or off, the circuit breakers
have probably already tripped, at that point the real electrical danger in a fully involved house fire is the service wire falling from the house
and it should be disconnected at the pole. If this was really a problem the answer would be to have the disconnect not on the house at all.
Mayor Bolander’s house is a good example of where it would be very expensive and impractical to move the meter
socket and disconnect.
Are you really going to try to convince me that if say that tree fell and bent the mast on the mayors electric service that
instead of simply replacing the mast in a few hours he is going to have to relocate the whole electric service to a
completely different side of the house? I just can not see that happening..
The mayor’s house does in fact have a real electric code violation, that being 2002 NEC 110.26 (A). Pertaining to the
AC compressor and bush in front of the meter and disconnect.
I am sure as soon as the Mayor is aware of the code he is in violation of he will have it quickly fixed just like the other
times.
socket and disconnect.
Are you really going to try to convince me that if say that tree fell and bent the mast on the mayors electric service that
instead of simply replacing the mast in a few hours he is going to have to relocate the whole electric service to a
completely different side of the house? I just can not see that happening..
The mayor’s house does in fact have a real electric code violation, that being 2002 NEC 110.26 (A). Pertaining to the
AC compressor and bush in front of the meter and disconnect.
I am sure as soon as the Mayor is aware of the code he is in violation of he will have it quickly fixed just like the other
times.
The city of Newton Illinois Electric Department has a requirement for a electric service entrance that mandates
3' of clearance from a door or window.
This is a very common requirement that is based on NEC 230.9 (A). It requires upper floor doors and windows to
have at least a 3’ clearance from the weather head and the exposed conductors.
The Newton Electric department interprets this rule to read that the meter socket and disconnect have to be at
least 3’ from a door or window, and that if any repair of the existing service is required it must now meet the 3’ rule.
The major problems with this are first it is a gross misapplication of the electrical code and causes repairs that
would of cost in the hundreds to potentially cost in the thousands, and in many instances it is very impractical to
move the meter location and in the case of storm repairs vastly delays the repair.
Another problem is the fact that the city passed the 2002 NEC as the electric code law for the city but this is
contrary to that. The city can amend the code if they want to but that has not happened, this 3' window rule has
been dreamed up by the electric department.
3' of clearance from a door or window.
This is a very common requirement that is based on NEC 230.9 (A). It requires upper floor doors and windows to
have at least a 3’ clearance from the weather head and the exposed conductors.
The Newton Electric department interprets this rule to read that the meter socket and disconnect have to be at
least 3’ from a door or window, and that if any repair of the existing service is required it must now meet the 3’ rule.
The major problems with this are first it is a gross misapplication of the electrical code and causes repairs that
would of cost in the hundreds to potentially cost in the thousands, and in many instances it is very impractical to
move the meter location and in the case of storm repairs vastly delays the repair.
Another problem is the fact that the city passed the 2002 NEC as the electric code law for the city but this is
contrary to that. The city can amend the code if they want to but that has not happened, this 3' window rule has
been dreamed up by the electric department.
He are a couple of actual violations of NEC 230.9 (A) What this code is all about is someone
reaching out a upper floor window and touching the wires or weather head (Circled area)
reaching out a upper floor window and touching the wires or weather head (Circled area)
Ameren has 2.4 million electric services, a massive engineering department and are known to be very particular when it
comes to following code, below is their rule on electric service clearance from windows.
"The minimum clearance for the customer’s service conductors of 3 feet from the communication wires or other
conductors, fire escapes, stairways, balconies, down spouts, gutters, windows, doors, porches and other similar locations
shall also be maintained for the service head and the open wires from the service head to the service drop."
comes to following code, below is their rule on electric service clearance from windows.
"The minimum clearance for the customer’s service conductors of 3 feet from the communication wires or other
conductors, fire escapes, stairways, balconies, down spouts, gutters, windows, doors, porches and other similar locations
shall also be maintained for the service head and the open wires from the service head to the service drop."
Newton Illinois Electrical Service Entrance 3' from window code
This 3' from the window code is totally unnecessary on new construction but can be
fairly easily accommodated.
When it comes to existing services it is a really expensive problem that residents of
Newton do not need.
fairly easily accommodated.
When it comes to existing services it is a really expensive problem that residents of
Newton do not need.
 |
| |
 |
This 3' from the window code is totally unnecessary on new construction but can be fairly easily accommodated.
When it comes to existing services it is a really expensive problem that residents of Newton do not need. This is just another example
of bad policy that is having a very negative effect on the city.
When it comes to existing services it is a really expensive problem that residents of Newton do not need. This is just another example
of bad policy that is having a very negative effect on the city.
So when I find out about this "window rule" I try to find out exactly where this law or code resides, so I look through all the cities laws
and codes. I look in the 845 pages of the city code book and do not find it, I look through the 607 pages of the 2003 International
Residential building code and do not find it, I look through the 709 pages of the 2002 National electrical code and do not find it, I
look the 40 pages of the 2003 international property maintenance code and do not find it, finally I ask Ray Reynolds (electric dept
head) where I can find this rule and he tells me it is not in any code book, and as far as I can tell not even written down anywhere.
That is a grand total of 2201 pages of rules and regulations and you can follow every one of them and then they will get you with
more rules that are not even written down.
and codes. I look in the 845 pages of the city code book and do not find it, I look through the 607 pages of the 2003 International
Residential building code and do not find it, I look through the 709 pages of the 2002 National electrical code and do not find it, I
look the 40 pages of the 2003 international property maintenance code and do not find it, finally I ask Ray Reynolds (electric dept
head) where I can find this rule and he tells me it is not in any code book, and as far as I can tell not even written down anywhere.
That is a grand total of 2201 pages of rules and regulations and you can follow every one of them and then they will get you with
more rules that are not even written down.