Temporary Service

That piece of poly doesn't really meet the IRC definition of a roof. If it did, it would probably be a legal dry location. Since it's just a flimsy piece of plastic that will flap in the breeze, it doesn't really fly in my mind. I've seen it done in my area many, many times in that manner.

Illegal this side of the pond. Any temporary supply must in the first instance be 'permanent'. No such thing as temporary. Because the supply also feeds a construction site the mains isolator (disconnect) must be a RCD (GFI) type.And finally the switchgear must be mounted in a weatherproof enclosure.



Frank

Just how much is 'temporary' service compared?

Is it really so much in the grand scope of house construction that doing something silly like this is warranted?

GregS said:

Is it really so much in the grand scope of house construction that doing something silly like this is warranted?

Click to expand...

Nope, not warranted at all. This is either an electrician trying to play "hero" or a GC that's too cheap to run a generator until the place is dried in, or too cheap to build a proper weatherproof temporary service pole for the site. Not sure what the case is here, but I see similar instances here locally pretty frequently. I'm not even sure why or how the inspector signs off on the utility cut-in card. For curiosity's sake, I should try to see if there's a trend here locally of a certain inspector approving these installations.

Interesting. every job site I work on there is a row of temporary service poles. Even for the single infill one-offs there's one pole at the edge of the lot with a boxed in breaker panel that I have to run a cord out to for my radio

Why stop there? Why not build the whole damn thing with some cardboard, plastic and duct tape? What are they going to use for wire, wet kite string?

If they're willing to do this to cut corners and cut costs, at what point will they draw the line? It's not the GC that I would question, but rather the electrician who said "ok, not a problem, I do it this way."