UL Listed Cable Clamps

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cj71980

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Fresno, CA, USA
I am planning on using a UV rated nylon cable clamp to support the 1,000 volt PV Cable between solar panels on an outdoor solar array. I was wondering if the cable clamp is typically required to be UL listed for this type of use. Many of the manufacturers state that their clamp is made from UL listed nylon material; however, they do not state that the clamp is listed. In fact, it's difficult to find a nylon cable clamp that is UL listed.

Is UL listing for electrical cable support necessary?
 
renosteinke

renosteinke

Senior Member
Location
NE Arkansas
You will need more than a simple UL listing; you will have to pay particular attention to the specific recommendations of the clamp maker.

I say this because UL lists clamps for different purposes, and it's quite possible that you can use the wrong clamp. Let me give an example:

Suppose you wanted to make a pendant. You see that you can spend fifty cents for a 2-screw clamp, or $5 for a clamp with a rubber grommet. What's not apparrent in the listing is that one of those clamps- the one with the grommet- was subjected to a much, much harder 'pull' test. For the cheap clamp, it was assumed in testing that the box and cable would have other supports and protections.

Your question also illustrates why UL tests things as an assembly, and that simply making something out of listed parts does not guarantee that the product will itself pass the tests.
 
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cj71980

Member
Location
Fresno, CA, USA
OK. If the manufacturer publishes a UL Listing, the UL number will tell me the "purpose" for which the clamp was tested. Is there a website that allows me to enter the UL number and determine the purpose?

Better yet, is there a website or other resource that would help me find a UL listed cable clamp, expiditing the proces?
renosteinke said:
You will need more than a simple UL listing; you will have to pay particular attention to the specific recommendations of the clamp maker.

I say this because UL lists clamps for different purposes, and it's quite possible that you can use the wrong clamp. Let me give an example:

Suppose you wanted to make a pendant. You see that you can spend fifty cents for a 2-screw clamp, or $5 for a clamp with a rubber grommet. What's not apparrent in the listing is that one of those clamps- the one with the grommet- was subjected to a much, much harder 'pull' test. For the cheap clamp, it was assumed in testing that the box and cable would have other supports and protections.

Your question also illustrates why UL tests things as an assembly, and that simply making something out of listed parts does not guarantee that the product will itself pass the tests.
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