How deep is electrical service buried?

24-36” depending on how hot it was the day they buried it LOL

I don't know about CLECO, but when I had to do a reroute for the feed for my house they required 24" to the top of the conduit. Conduit required. I've seen some municipalities use a layer of sand when they cover the pipe, so when you see a change in the soil type, you know you're close.

Have you called the number for them to come mark the ground before you dig? It's free at least in Texas and it'll take out some of the guess work.

I've seen it done anywhere from 1-3 feet.

Slemco is 4’ for primary and 3’ for secondary. Just put a new transformer and meter in.

quote:

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They are the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)

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It would be very rare for a utility to be the AHJ. The AHJ is your code official. So whoever the electrical inspector is for the location would be the AHJ. This can be anything from a city code official to a state code official depending on locations/counties.

This topic can be a bit gray at times. Utilities don't always have to comply with the code. So the correct answer may depend on who owns the service from the transformer to the meter. If the Utility owns it, it may be one way and the other way if the homeowner owns the service run.

What are you trying to do OP? Sandy Loam soil or something else? Clay?

The main reason I ask is how hard you will be digging? Sometimes its easier and safer to just follow the line down from your house and then go from there.

Conduit should be run from your home down to at least where it turns 90. From there its hard to say.

I wouldn’t plant a tree anywhere near your electrical main. That’s just asking for trouble. Probably should have lead with that.

I just ran 180’ here in MS for my barn. Coast EPA required 36” deep and inside 2-1/2” schedule 40 pvc conduit below grade and schedule 80 above. Holy crap has pvc skyrocketed in price.