Triplex

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MBLES

Senior Member
can I use Triplex or quadruplex to run over head from distribution panel to run as feeder to a temp building.
 

MasterTheNEC

CEO and President of Electrical Code Academy, Inc.
Location
McKinney, Texas
Occupation
CEO
Yes, it is made for that.:thumbsup:
As long as you purchase the right Quadruplex cable. The overhead triplex or quadruplex will have the internal supporting neutral component [AAC. ACSR or AAAC] while the underground triplex or quadruplex will not. So its always important to know which you are buying...;)
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Many code authorities do not accept tri or quadplex cables as they are not listed and not of one of the insulation types shown in 310.104. Check with your AHJ before installing it.
 

MasterTheNEC

CEO and President of Electrical Code Academy, Inc.
Location
McKinney, Texas
Occupation
CEO
Many code authorities do not accept tri or quadplex cables as they are not listed and not of one of the insulation types shown in 310.104. Check with your AHJ before installing it.
However...many of the Triplex and Quadruplex are tripled rated with an insulation type shown in 310.104. Just depends on the manufacturer i guess.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
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retired electrician
However...many of the Triplex and Quadruplex are tripled rated with an insulation type shown in 310.104. Just depends on the manufacturer i guess.
While I have seen that for conductors intended for underground installations, I have never seen that for conductors intended for overhead installations, and that is the subject of this thread.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
You can use conductors or cables that are mentioned in 310.104 and support them from a messenger wire. They should also have a sunlight resistant rating.

I haven't seen a overhead cable myself that uses conductors mentioned in 310.104 either, have never had those cables rejected but do understand that an inspector certainly could reject them. Also can't even remember last time I used such overhead cable at an installation that required inspection. When I do use such cable is is usually to outbuildings on farms and is seldom ever required to be inspected.
 

augie47

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Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
agree, see triplex/quadplex used often and never saw any with an insulation ration to qualify as a 310.13 conductor.
Honestly, don't question it.:)
(a) works for the utility& (b) it's outside and causes little concern.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
I could link you to the catalog items...However, Don has spoken and far be it for me to thread drift.:slaphead:
Does the catalog link show listed overhead conductors or listed underground conductors? I am sure most of us would be interested in a link that shows listed overhead triplex conductors.

I think that what we are talking about when we are saying overhead triplex or quadplex is what is also called "service drop" cable.
 
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augie47

Moderator
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Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
I could link you to the catalog items...However, Don has spoken and far be it for me to thread drift.:slaphead:

Does the catalog link show listed overhead conductors or listed underground conductors? I am sure most of us would be interested in a link that shows listed overhead triplex conductors.

I think that what we are talking about when we are saying overhead triplex or quadplex is what is also called "service drop" cable.

I agree. If you have a link of a triplex or quadplex type ACSR ("service drop") that has a conductor listed by 310.13, I would be interested. I have not enforced that
requirement as I did not know of a product available.
 

MasterTheNEC

CEO and President of Electrical Code Academy, Inc.
Location
McKinney, Texas
Occupation
CEO
Well I have to apologize as it appears I misunderstood the question.

My original statement was simply to explain that their are two different types of overhead Triplex and Quadruplex cables out there on the market. I know this because we make both.

We have a Triplex and Quadruplex Underground Distribution Cable and we make Triplex and Quadruplex Overhead Cable which is primarily used for Service Drops, but not limited to that application only.

The underground Tri and Quad is tripled rated in that it is USE-2,RHH and RHW-2 rated for use in direct bury or within a raceway as well as within the building structure. Due to it's triple rating it can serve multiple functions. However, if it was simply USE-2 then I would be limited, this is why it is thus triple rated and evaluated for such.

The overhead conductors in the Tri and Quad, at least the insulated ones are XLPE insulation and would easily meet the same permitted qualifications of UL-44 as Thermoset. The hickup is that the supporting grounded/neutral conductor is uninsulated so it would not be permitted within the structure...and from the original question I did not gather it was an interior application...but I could be wrong as I don't want to read the mind of the OP. I have enough trouble with the voices in my own mind:angel:

My point was to just make the OP aware that their are multiple types of Tri- and Quad and to not blindly accept what a supply house may give them when they as for a Tri or a Quad...nothing more.

Again if I misspoke or represented it incorrectly to the OP I apologize as I was just bringing my experience with the product to the forefront.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Well I have to apologize as it appears I misunderstood the question.

My original statement was simply to explain that their are two different types of overhead Triplex and Quadruplex cables out there on the market. I know this because we make both.

We have a Triplex and Quadruplex Underground Distribution Cable and we make Triplex and Quadruplex Overhead Cable which is primarily used for Service Drops, but not limited to that application only.

The underground Tri and Quad is tripled rated in that it is USE-2,RHH and RHW-2 rated for use in direct bury or within a raceway as well as within the building structure. Due to it's triple rating it can serve multiple functions. However, if it was simply USE-2 then I would be limited, this is why it is thus triple rated and evaluated for such.

The overhead conductors in the Tri and Quad, at least the insulated ones are XLPE insulation and would easily meet the same permitted qualifications of UL-44 as Thermoset. The hickup is that the supporting grounded/neutral conductor is uninsulated so it would not be permitted within the structure...and from the original question I did not gather it was an interior application...but I could be wrong as I don't want to read the mind of the OP. I have enough trouble with the voices in my own mind:angel:

My point was to just make the OP aware that their are multiple types of Tri- and Quad and to not blindly accept what a supply house may give them when they as for a Tri or a Quad...nothing more.

Again if I misspoke or represented it incorrectly to the OP I apologize as I was just bringing my experience with the product to the forefront.
In order for a conductor to be recognized as suitable for use by NEC it must be a type that is mentioned in 310.104. XLPE is not mentioned in 310.104. XHH, XHHW, XHHW-2 are all XLPE variations that are mentioned in 310.104, but without additional designation just XLPE only is not a conductor recognized by NEC. I have never seen an overhead multiplex cable similar in construction to what POCO's use for service drops that has any such designations mentioned in 310.104, but will not claim there are none either. You do run into similar conductor markings on underground multiplexed cables. If it says XLPE only it is not recognized as acceptable by NEC. If it is identified as USE and nothing else - it is recognized by NEC but is restricted from being used indoors.

Places that can use these conductors are POCO's or others that do not have to comply with NEC.
 

MasterTheNEC

CEO and President of Electrical Code Academy, Inc.
Location
McKinney, Texas
Occupation
CEO
In order for a conductor to be recognized as suitable for use by NEC it must be a type that is mentioned in 310.104. XLPE is not mentioned in 310.104. XHH, XHHW, XHHW-2 are all XLPE variations that are mentioned in 310.104, but without additional designation just XLPE only is not a conductor recognized by NEC. I have never seen an overhead multiplex cable similar in construction to what POCO's use for service drops that has any such designations mentioned in 310.104, but will not claim there are none either. You do run into similar conductor markings on underground multiplexed cables. If it says XLPE only it is not recognized as acceptable by NEC. If it is identified as USE and nothing else - it is recognized by NEC but is restricted from being used indoors.

Places that can use these conductors are POCO's or others that do not have to comply with NEC.
BOTH of you obviously did not read my post.......and my clarification...or would you both rather just (yes you iwire) jump on me anyway?:cry:

Where in my previous post did I say Tri or Quad for overhead was to be inside the building?...The Tri and Quad URD is permitted as it is triple rated.
 
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