Fallen tree ripped service entrance off building

[jw]

We just had hurricane force winds and a tree fell over and it ripped down the overhead wires to my barn. This is after my electric meter so I am responsible, the electric company only repairs BEFORE the meter. The insulator broke and the top half of the 1 1/2" service entrance pipe was ripped off the barn and bent way over. We spent most of the night cutting up the tree and freed the wire. Not able to get parts, I hooked the cable up to the metal bracket that remains of the insulator using a piece of chain hooked to the end loop piece on the triplex that normally goes around the insulator. With a friend, we tried to bend that steel conduit straight, but it's near impossible by hand. We got it a little straighter, but not very good.

Is there any way to straighten that conduit? I'd rather not have to replace it. I should mention that the power did not go out and no wires were broke or separated. It just destroyed the insulator and bent that entrance pipe. I'd like to just replace the insulator and bend that pipe straight again. The insulator is easy to replace, but getting that pipe back straight seems to be a big problem. No, I do not have a pipe bender for 1 1/2". Just for 1/2" and 3/4".

Thanks

[Hank]

Take it to a muffler shop.

Hank

[RBM]

If it's steel tubing, the answer is no. If it's threaded galvanized pipe, it may be possible but not likely while it's hanging off the building

[bob haller]

I would replace the conduit and wiring, the wiring may have been damaged and could cause a short and fire in the future, espically since serice entrance cables arent fused.

this may be covered by homeowners insurance, and upgrade to 200 amps if your service isnt already that

[DD_BobK]

Since all of the damage is downstream of the meter....... throw the main breaker (if that kills power to the damaged section) or pull the meter.

Now that the damaged section is de-energized

I assume its 1-1/2" rigid conduit, ie "pipe like" material If the conduit is only 1" you should be able to straighten it using a stout workbench & a bench vise.

1) disconnect the wiring and pull it out of the conduit (examine the wiring for damage, replace if compromised) 2) disassemble the conduit run to free the bent section 3) if the damaged piece is short & 1-1/2" dia, it's going to be tough to straight with a hickey (sp?) type bender. If you have a large arbor press or a hydraulic press frame you should be able to apply enough force to straighten the conduit without collapsing it

If this process fails.....use Hank's suggestion >>>>> muffler shop, local blacksmith or welder.

But you have to have the damaged section "uninstalled" so you can work on it. Trying to straighten while still part of the system would be hard.

cheers Bob

[jw]

The pipe bent, but did not kink. The insulator and top pipe strap were ripped off the building, the pipe bend both to the right and outward from the wall at the second (middle) strap. I dont think the wires were damaged since there was no kinking. Actually this service entrance *IS* fused. There's a box under the meter on the power pole, where there are two 200A cartridge fuses (400A Service). From there, the power goes three ways. 1. the house 2. the barn 3. the garage (two separate triplex cables to the garage and barn, plus an underground cable to the house). Each building has it's own main breaker. This is typical wiring on farms.

As for insurance, the deductible is much more than what it would cost to just buy new conduit, insulator, etc.... No sense even turning it in, because that will just give them a reason to raise my rates.

Another question. My present conduit is 1 1/2" rigid steel, not threaded galvanized pipe. I know that most new construction these days uses that gray plastic conduit. I could use that, but what would happen if a tree fell and I had that plastic stuff? Seems that there would have been more damage since that plastic would have shattered. I'm hesitant to use that as a replacement if I cant get the steel one straightened, or just buy new steel pipe.

[DerbyDad03]

re: "...gray plastic conduit. I could use that, but what would happen if a tree fell and I had that plastic stuff?"

Ahh, but you no longer have a tree to fall on it... or do you?

If the danger of a tree falling on the new service entrance no longer exists, why not use whatever is easiet to obtain/install?

[gfretwell]

Overhead masts are required to be Rigid metal or intermediate metal conduit. I bet you will find it is threaded into the hub on top of the box too, I would open the disconnect, take the wire out of the pipe and replace it. Then reattach the drop with new hardware. A new stick of rigid is not that expensive and this shouldn't take an hour to do. I would take the 4 screws out and remove the hub to unscrew it. That is easier than trying to spin a bent pipe that will probably hit on something before it comes loose..

[Evan]

The service head was yanked down suddenly by the force of the tree falling on it -- the wire must be inspected to make sure the insulation is not damaged along its entire length...

The exterior cable could have damaged insulation which would let water inside the cable and cause issues -- the cabling inside the conduit could have been pulled hard enough and far enough to have loose connections to the service panel...

You should have a licensed electrician do the repairs and sign off on it being properly repaired and functional... You worry about what it would cost to make an insurance claim now when you have legitimate storm damages -- just wait until you have a fire because you skimped on doing the prudent and proper repairs after your electrical service was damaged by that falling tree -- the insurance company will ask how the conduit got bent, or why such a short piece near the top was replaced and will then ask who did the repairs... You might find that your very expensive future electrical fire might not be covered because your deductible is too high to properly fix some storm damage caused by a tree today...

Get better insurance with a lower deductible for property damage protection...

~~ Evan

[RBM]

I didn't get the impression that it was a mast. It sounds like it's just attached to the side of the barn, not through the eve

[jw]

Yes, it's just attached to the side of the barn, not a mast. There are other trees that could fall in the future. I'd have to take down a lot of trees to prevent it, and am not about to do that, although I intend to trim a few of them.

Actually, I need to correct myself too. It's 1 1/4" (not 1 1/2"), and it's threaded pipe, not EMT. I was dealing with this in the dark last night, using tractor lights and flashlites. Now I did a better inspection in daylight. The wires do not enter directly into the breaker box, there is a LB elbow where it enters the wall. That part is all ok. Actually, I think I could leave the bend to the right just like it is, if only I can bend the top of the pipe so the head sits flat against the wall again.

[jw]

You sound like the type who would tear down your house and rebuild because you got a bad light switch in your kitchen...... I suggest you do!!!

[RBM]

If you have more than one length, you should be able to turn the bent piece at the coupling. The weather head should be able to turn as well

>

[John Grabowski]

*Is there any reason why you cannot replace the conduit with service entrance cable?

[jw]

It's all one piece of pipe, but it does turn at the LB and the head will come off too. Now that I really checked it over, I know I will have to just remove the connectors where the triplex connects to the cable inside the pipe, and should be able to unscrew the pipe from the LB, inspect the wires, and as long as they are ok, just slide them into a new piece of pipe and thread it in, along with the head.

It looked a lot worse when everything was a tangled up mess, as least now I have a plan. I suspect the wires are ok inside the pipe. The bends are gradual, not sharp or kinked. The triplex was not damaged where the tree was against it either. It's nearly 100 feet from the pole to the barn, so there was a lot of length to take up the slack. The wooden pole also had a slight bend toward the tree, but went back where it should be as soon as we got the tree off the wires.

Thanks

[jw]

As fas as I know, the SE cable is only made for systems up to 60amps. Unless they changed that in recent years. My panel is a 100A in this barn, which is all it needs. Either way, SE cable would cost much more than a new pipe. As long as my wires are ok, and I bet they are. But that is a good suggestion.

[gfretwell]

It would be a lot cheaper to just buy a new pipe.

[Joe]

Another good reason for underground service. When the power goes out it is the power company's problem.

Joe

[gfretwell]

In this case that is not true at all. The run from this maypole is on the load side of the service point and the customer owns it. Actually in most places the customer owns the service lateral from the street anyway, even though it is on the line side of the meter. The service point in most underground systems is where the service lateral leaves the right of way. The service point on overhead drops is usually at the service head and the PoCo owns the drop (you own the wire down the side of the house to the meter) but this is not a service drop it is a feeder and he owns it all..

[gfretwell]

You can get SE, SER and USE up to 4/0 aluminum or copper.