The weather-head on the electrical system is to keep water from entering the electrical mast when the wires run to the home overhead----as opposed to going to the house underground. It also helps protect the wires from mechanical damage as well as orient the wires so that they point down so that water won’t run along the wires and into the mast. It is a really good idea to keep water out of the mast because if it enters the mast it will end up in the electrical panel and make a mess of things. Water and electrical components brought together in this situation are----as usual----bad juju. Here is a picture of a proper cap.
There are several defects in this picture----of which the weather-head is NOT one of them----maybe the other inspectors here in the Rain can point out some of them. One of the defects is actually one of the most dangerous defects you can find in a home----a matter of life and death.
In this next picture we can see where the cap is missing and the top of the pipe is wrapped with electrical tape to keep the water out----obviously not a proper cap.
This is not a difficult fix----just needs a proper cap installed by the licensed electrical contractor.
Charles Buell
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My WORDLESS WEDNESDAY pictures and some selected POEMS & STORIES.
Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me...
I would not be wrapping no tape around that pole....call the electrician!
good info. I had no idea
In the first photo the conductors are under tension and are separating from the crips. Looks like the neutral has been in contact with a hot lead. Dangerous.
Charles, Let's see here, its the rust on metal pipe of the mast, no. To many clamps, no. Too high, no. Inadequate clearances, no. The neighbor can see it through their window, no. Ahhhhh.........I see.
The splices are corroded and the wiring is exposed, not protected from the weather elements. That must be it.
~ Life is Good
You've got us all kerfluffled... what's the danger?? C'mon... life and death, man.... life and death!!!
Michael, any way?:)
Gary, does seem a bit foolish doesn't it?
Jim, thanks for the comment.
Tad thanks for the guesses----but no, no, and no:)
Roy, good job---exposed hot conductors is the most dangerous element. Rusting is another defect.
Alan---you must have snuck in here while I was commenting:)
I'm sneaky like that.
Another reason to hire a qualified inspector. Thanks for the info.. and the answers...
When the wind blows do they get a free fireworks display. Can anyone say corrosion. Really good photos Charles.
Can't believe anyone would do that. Frankly I wouldn't touch it with rubber gloves and 10 ft. rubber pole.
Darren, you are welcome.
Thanks Jack.
Tammy, probably a good idea unless you know what you are doing.
That would be a bummer for the first time home owner to lean their new aluminum ladder against that one.
Jim, it makes my hair stand on end just thinking about all the ways a person could contact grounded components and those exposed hot conductors at the same time.
Mr Charles,
I walked those lines and, as I recall, they were really springy.
One other point I'll add - the wires need to drop down before coming up in to the mast head, to provide a capillary break (in other words, to keep water from running down the wire in to the mast head). This is called a drip loop. Can you guess what caused the rust in the photo below?
Water?:) (sorry Reuben----I couln't resist)
A hard rains gonna fall...down the mast. The answer is blowin in the wind. :)
Those splices jumped right out at me.
James, I know what you mean----they give me the willies WAY more than any crawl space:)
Let's see - those three cables together are just like a three-pronged outlet, right? I'm sure that ground line perfectly bonds those other two together. No concern there.
Here, anyway, mastheads are not allowed on top of a roof unless they are in the front of the house and the conductors, which should be at least 12' from the ground, do not pass over the roof.
A glass (ceramic?) thimble is not the best support for that load. I don't know how long it is, but not good support. Here serviced conductors are secured to the house, not the pole. If the telephone pole at the street leans, that masthead will lean to!
The chimney cap is rounded, not square.
The counter flash on the chimney is not properly fitted on the sides or corner, nor secured. The lower flash actually goes under the shingles! The chimney is remarkably level, though, judging from the windows behind!
The lavender/white azalea is infesting the gutter. Isn't it only permitted that red ones do?
The shingles are green. They should be burgundy and gold.
Those are great photos, Charlie. I hope you were wearing your rubber coveralls!
By the way, my son got tickets today for Section 144, Row 24. Best he could find. I wanted more toward home plate, but not available!
Jay, here they are allowed to cross the roof----Utility can do pretty much what it wants. I agree with you about the ceramic restraint support----no clue why they still use them but it is always there----serves no real purpose as far as I know. Well-----if the pole leans enough to pull the sag out of the wire it will rip any service off the house:) We aren't inspecting the chimney here:) Rhododendrons do pretty much whatever they want:) Croakster likes green shingles---does Croakster have shingles? Jay----rubbers?
Take me out to the ballgame..........:)
Sorry, you said other things not having to do with the masthead...
Croakster has never had shingles to my knowledge. He does get hives when he eats blue-bottle flies.
That looks a lot different in the second picture. Scary they were living with it that way- Dinah Lee
Jay, tell Croakster that I do as well:)
Dinah----hard to imagine thinking the tape would be much of a solution----for very long.