Extension Cord across easement...

[NC Aggie]

I would disagree. Creating a health and safety hazard hazard within and across the easement IS likely to be a violation of easement rights. A mickey mouse electrical rigging, such as described, is a potential safety risk and therefore interferes with safe, continued use of the easement.

nextwife, I respectfully disagree with you as well. While it is potentially a safety risk, I don't believe it interferes with the use of the easement by the O.P. I think the safety risk would be assumed by the neighbor. We're also making a lot of assumptions here, we don't know what type of voltage is passing through this "extension cord" and even if there is any GFI protection. If the O.P. is trying to have this electrical cord removed from across the easement, I personally don't believe he will be successful pursuing the matter based on easement rights.

 

[Who's Liable?]

Secondly, this "cord" running through a "pipe" sounds fairly reasonable...he's simply using a conduit to provide electricity to the barn and that's what you would expect, granted burying it a few inches or a foot underground would probably be recommended.

Not "reasonable" at all, not to mention completely ILLEGAL too! The NEC(which is a MINIMUM safety guide) deem extension cords for temporary power, and are not allowed to be ran through any type of conduit or enclosed space without access due to potential fire hazards. Not only that, proper electrical feeders in conduit are typical buried(depending on local city codes) a MINIMUM of 3 feet underground to prevent damage from accidental digging, etc. Whats to prevent this conduit and cord from being flung in the air from a car bombing down the road. Not you have a conduit flung in the air as well as an extension cord acting like a whip.

Now if you want to be an arse about the matter, you may be able to contact the local building inspections department and they may cite him if this violates any building standards...but would you really want to be a "nasty" neighbor?

If being an arse means doing things legally and safely, than by all means OP should be an arse.

I think the other neighbor is an arse for not taking the safety of others into consideration.

 

[FlyingRon]

Doesn't need to be three feet. A rigid metal conduit can be 6". PVC can be down at 18" If it's a single, 20A GFCI-protected direct burial cable (not an extension cord) it can be at 12" otherwise direct burial has to be at 24".

I may be an armchair lawyer, but the NEC I know cold for real professional reasons.

 

[nastyneighbors]

Poster, you need to get code enforcment out there NOW.[/QUOTE]

I'm sorry, but how do I find code enforcement? I live in the country... Who would I call to find out?

 

[nextwife]

Poster, you need to get code enforcment out there NOW.

I'm sorry, but how do I find code enforcement? I live in the country... Who would I call to find out?[/QUOTE]

To whom do you pay property taxes? Have you tried calling whatever community you pay taxes to, to ask? Have you called your county offices to ask about a safety risk to be reported and corrected? Have you even tried calling your electrical service provider and asked them who'd investigate a dangerous electrical situation like this?

 

[Ozark_Sophist]

There may not be code enforcement in rural areas. OP may need to take this up with the electricity provider for assistance (correct deficiency or referral to proper resource.)

 

[nastyneighbors]

No, I haven't done any of that because I was trying to be peaceful. But, current events have changed my outlook. I will be looking into your advice and really appreciate it! Thanks so much!