Parking 5th wheel under electric wires

[lgbrotz]

Sold my 5th wheel last week and agreed to move it and set it up for new owner. Did so. Now he wants to move it to new spot but under active overhead electric feed to older home on property. I don't think there is enough clearance. Any one with advice on clearance in feet?

[lgbrotz]

Thanks Guys
this gives me what I need to tell the new owner NO
and have the backup to show why.

[Brockinfla]

It's not your 5th wheel anymore. Tell owner to call someone who cares.

[Rhyph]

I'm not sure about clearance and codes, but on my MIL's private property, we had temporarily parked our 5'ver under the overhead electrical lines feeding the house for a couple of months while we worked to find an indoor storage facility. One day, the electric co-op came by to read the meter and they got a warning for it sitting under the lines at all. They cited some law and liability with it being a fire hazard. The lines were plenty high, probably 30' in the air so clearance wasn't an issue.

[1492]

Moved from Forum Technical Support

[1971duster340]

Is he asking you to drive or park the trailer underneath the wire? Sounds like it's service wire to the house. It's probably 3 (or 4) wires twisted, but older home could mean 3 (or 4) single, bare wires? The twisted is insulated excepted for the bare neutral/support conductor which isn't supposed to be energized. Even if it's bare wires, the bottom wire should be the neutral.
18" clearance from anything on the trailer is sufficient for service wire, hot or not. Most utilities demand that spec. That's measured from the wire to the gutter, eve, metal roof, etc.

Saying all that, what Old-Biscuit says is what the NESC Guidelines suggest. His clearances will keep you or the buyer out of liability issues. Your line to the new owner should be "I'll put it there if you sign this release of my liability." That should get a "Huh, Well...".

[Golden_HVAC]

Some of the older homes do not have the electrical supply meeting the 18' high NEC current codes. In Portland OR, there is a push to increase the height of these homes electrical services installed in the 30's and 40's with the power lines as low as 10' above the ground where they meet the home. This is low enough for tall people to touch them!

I would not be considering moving the RV to a place where the lines are less than 15' above ground level. It is his now, and his problem. I know you want to me 'Mr Nice Guy' but it is your tank of gas to go over there, move it again, and possibly damage the RV if you get to close to the power lines. . . .

Good luck with your situation. I guess the new RV owner can hire a towing company to move it around his property?

Fred.

[Old-Biscuit]

N.E.C. minimum clearance for overhead lines under 600V:
18' for traffic areas
8' over a structure
6' to an antenna

Anything less than that........I wouldn't mess with and I worked around 480V to 220KV for 30 yrs.
Electricity demands respect