# ser cable for 200 amp service



## newspark80 (Feb 20, 2011)

I have always ran conduit to my panels from the meter base, but because of the location of the panel, the space for the bend radius of the 2 inch pvc will not make it. So I'm going to use 442 ser al for my feeder. Never worked with size of SER. Any thoughts on working with this stuff?


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I hope you mean 4/0 4/0 2/0 seu not ser.


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## Crack Wireman (Aug 22, 2014)

newspark80 said:


> I have always ran conduit to my panels from the meter base, but because of the location of the panel, the space for the bend radius of the 2 inch pvc will not make it. So I'm going to use 442 ser al for my feeder. Never worked with size of SER. Any thoughts on working with this stuff?


Be careful making your 90 with the cable. If you don't get it right the jacket crinkles up and looks bad. Other than that it's a piece of cake.


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## Crack Wireman (Aug 22, 2014)

Dennis Alwon said:


> I hope you mean 4/0 4/0 2/0 seu not ser.


Right. Ser is 4 conductor. You want SEU


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I am not sure wwhy you can't use pvc. I always pipe it with an LB into the basement area and use pvc all the way


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## newspark80 (Feb 20, 2011)

Awesome. Thanks for the heads up!!


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## newspark80 (Feb 20, 2011)

Dennis Alwon said:


> I am not sure wwhy you can't use pvc. I always pipe it with an LB into the basement area and use pvc all the way


Yes this is how I usually do it, but I will be running this feed over to an adjacent wall which will have me do a back to back 90 deg which I would not want to attempt pulling conductors through; that's even if I could get those bends to fit in the stud bay....

Thoughts...?


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

Will your authority having jurisdiction allow that much service conductor inside without a diso?


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## newspark80 (Feb 20, 2011)

Dennis Alwon said:


> Will your authority having jurisdiction allow that much service conductor inside without a diso?


It will less than 15 feet....


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

We are only allowed 6ft of unfused conductor inside a structure here. I thought that was actually code up until recently when someone here let me know otherwise.


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## manchestersparky (Mar 25, 2007)

newspark80 said:


> It will less than 15 feet....


15 feet inside 

Better call your inspector and verify - easier to call then to redo

That would never fly here


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## Awg-Dawg (Jan 23, 2007)

manchestersparky said:


> 15 feet inside
> 
> Better call your inspector and verify - easier to call then to redo


 That does seem like a lot.

I would make that call also.


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## Carultch (May 14, 2013)

Crack Wireman said:


> Right. Ser is 4 conductor. You want SEU



SER is good when you run need a full size neutral and a separate equipment ground.

SEU is good for use, when your neutral currents are reduced to much less than your line currents, and you are connecting the service wire on the line side of the equipment with the neutral-to-ground bonding jumper.


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## aftershockews (Dec 22, 2012)

manchestersparky said:


> 15 feet inside
> 
> Better call your inspector and verify - easier to call then to redo
> 
> That would never fly here


15' is allowed here too.


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## farmantenna (Nov 22, 2012)

when I was an apprentice I got a good lesson on why unfused service cables should be as short as possible.

I drilled into the short section of exposed SEU in the confined area between floor joist and sill and the wood was instantly on fire. That small area was on fire! My boss luckily had fire extinguisher .

we could never go more than a few feet away from where the cable or pipe entered the basement. And the one time when I did go to the adjacent wall with pipe the inspector told me to make sure to use indoor rated USE triplex (new code for 2008)


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

> indoor rated USE triplex


what is that?

~CS~


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

chicken steve said:


> what is that?
> 
> ~CS~


Indoor rated URD.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Meter/main disco's on the building exterior. Anything else should be required to be in grc and no more than a few feet inside. But instead the code book revolves around how far under a countertop overhang a receptacle device must be, or whether a dishwasher should have a gfi source........


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## manchestersparky (Mar 25, 2007)

aftershockews said:


> 15' is allowed here too.


Nope not here- guaranteed red tag if it is not short as possible inside. If its too much then you best be installing an exterior service switch.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

manchestersparky said:


> Nope not here- guaranteed red tag if it is not short as possible inside. If its too much then you best be installing an exterior service switch.


I don't know if you remember, but I started a thread a while back where I asked when the "6ft rule" came into play....6ft as in unfused conductor length.

You explained to me that it was not code, but actually some local amendment. That surprised me seeing how anywhere I've ever worked has required this, and just about all the guys on this forum post similar restrictions.

So...with what you posted here ^^, what is the code reference that you are quoting, or is this a similar local amendment that you are enforcing?


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## aftershockews (Dec 22, 2012)

manchestersparky said:


> Nope not here- guaranteed red tag if it is not short as possible inside. If its too much then you best be installing an exterior service switch.


I do not do much if any work in Bartlett aside from small chit that a permit is not needed, but, I was told that outside panels were prohibited and the reason was because someone could come and shut off power, requiring the HO to come out to investigate, allowing said person to rob HO.

I heard this from the inspector. Just sayin.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

aftershockews said:


> I do not do much if any work in Bartlett aside from small chit that a permit is not needed, but, I was told that outside panels were prohibited and the reason was because someone could come and shut off power, requiring the HO to come out to investigate, allowing said person to rob HO.
> 
> I heard this from the inspector. Just sayin.


Happens hourly here where we are unsophisticated as to have none of that for dwellings. not.


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## theJcK (Aug 7, 2013)

aftershockews said:


> I do not do much if any work in Bartlett aside from small chit that a permit is not needed, but, I was told that outside panels were prohibited and the reason was because someone could come and shut off power, requiring the HO to come out to investigate, allowing said person to rob HO. I heard this from the inspector. Just sayin.


dang After.. sure you dont live in South Central, Detroit or New Orleans?..


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## aftershockews (Dec 22, 2012)

theJcK said:


> dang After.. sure you dont live in South Central, Detroit or New Orleans?..


Memphis. Same thing.


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## farmantenna (Nov 22, 2012)

chicken steve said:


> what is that?
> 
> ~CS~


art338 12 part b(1) I think. Don't have code book. USE can't be used for interior wiring. I think there's two types of USE. one labeled rhh,rhw,USE,which is ok for interior. the other just USE.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

MHElectric said:


> So...with what you posted here ^^, what is the code reference that you are quoting, or is this a similar local amendment that you are enforcing?


art. 230.70 (A)(1) otherwise local amendments rule


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

Here is the article



> 230.70 (A) Location. The service disconnecting means shall be installed
> in accordance with 230.70(A)(1), (A)(2), and (A)(3).
> (1) Readily Accessible Location. The service disconnecting
> means shall be installed at a readily accessible location
> ...


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## manchestersparky (Mar 25, 2007)

MHElectric said:


> I don't know if you remember, but I started a thread a while back where I asked when the "6ft rule" came into play....6ft as in unfused conductor length.
> 
> You explained to me that it was not code, but actually some local amendment. That surprised me seeing how anywhere I've ever worked has required this, and just about all the guys on this forum post similar restrictions.
> 
> So...with what you posted here ^^, what is the code reference that you are quoting, or is this a similar local amendment that you are enforcing?


My reply and the area I live and the Jurisdiction I work for both go by the code article that Dennis posted. 
There are some that will allow x number of feet.


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