The electrical service that supplies the building is provided in two stages. First as temporary power to a post installed by a licensed electrical contractor according to the site utilization plan. The post has a meter and grounded connections for use during construction.
Connections to the main power source
The second stage of electrical service begins with the installation of the permanent meter and the main disconnect switches at the utility connection. The meter in mounted on an exterior wall of the building or as a free standing meter pedestal.
The supply side of the meter is grounded to a copper rod driven into the ground or to a wire attached to the steel reinforcing in the foundation footer.
When the meter is not mounted on an exterior wall, an underground cable runs from the utility connection to the service panel. An electrical conduit makes it easier to change or upgrade this cable to accommodate future needs.
The anticipated loads for branch circuits and circuit breakers are determined by the electrical plan. These loads vary according to the number of receptacles and switches, as well as the specifications for the equipment and appliances that service the building.
For detailed information on basic electrical installations and residential wiring, see this DIYnetwork article.
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(To be continued…)
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The material presented in this series has been taken from our book, “How a House is Built: With 3D Construction Models” The book includes annotated illustrations, captioned text, videos, models, and the 2D Preliminaries.
