SE Type U for Feeder?

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iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
mdshunk said:
For some reason, my link doesn't work, but here is the quote from Southwire:

Thanks as I got a mostly blank page.

Looks like gndrod and I where both right.

I was always told it was the shape as "R" means round.

Unarmored seems odd as both SE-U and SE-R are unarmored.
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
iwire said:
Unarmored seems odd as both SE-U and SE-R are unarmored.
I know. It seems like SER should be SER-U.

There is definately armored SE, however. I've run into it many times, and it's a "treat" to deal with. Under the (normally braided) jacket is tape type armor that sorta puts you in mind of MC cable, only it is not interlocking It's no fun at all to skin out.
 

Bloose

Member
benaround said:
Gents,

Table 310.15(B)(6) would allow #2al. for 100amps. also as Bloose has

indicated the SE-U / XHHW-2 , would be good for a wet location. With no

other metalic paths to the garage, He could use the materails that he has.

Bloose, Do you have a main disconnect in the garage sub-panel? If not I

think you need one, also, you are correct about the ground rods they are required.

Bloose, if you use the SE-U follow 250.32(B)(2)

Yes, I have a disconnect.

Thanks
 

Bloose

Member
So, because the garage is not the "dwelling unit" I cannot use #2 AL for 100A, I must use 1/0 or a smaller breaker. I can go with either 3 conductor or 4 as long as there is no metalic path between the buildings. The SEU is technically not rated for wet locations which the under ground install would be, but the conductors are XHHW-2. Is this correct so far?

So my question now really is,

what cable type do I use for this? I'm looking for something I can run through the pipe and also run in the basement exposed up in the floor joists. I don't want to run MC though. If I must I can run pipe directly to the panel in the basement but I would prefer not to. If I run the pipe all the way I will just run individual AL wire.

Thanks again
 

gndrod

Senior Member
Location
Ca and Wa
In reference to my earlier reply #5, a j-box inside to outside transition would fit your solution to avoid running any conduit. Being that a 2" lateral conduit is already in place, the conduit transition into the building would be an ideal place to terminate SER and USE cables for code compatibility. See other similar dialog on SE cabling in this forum section. I lack the linking skills to make it easy here.
 

romeo

Senior Member
SE Type U for feeder

SE Type U for feeder

gndrod said:
Despector, U stands for Unarmored.

I started out in this trade working in a supply house many years ago. We sold type SEA cable Armored and SEU cable Unarmored
 

romeo

Senior Member
SE Type U for Feeder

SE Type U for Feeder

dcspector said:
60' of #2 would be ok for residential garage. Also, pull USE, URD or THHN-W. Why not just pull 2 ungrounded conductors, one grounded conductor (Neutral) and one EGC, isolate grounding and grounded conductors (neutrals) at the sub panel and forget about driving additional rods. Just my thoughts only.

Grounding electrode required in separate building NEC section 250.32 (A)
 

Bloose

Member
Thanks for all of your responses guys. After giving it some thought I don't think there is any way for me to run 1 continuous cable both inside the house and in the ground to the garage. What I'm thinking at this point is to run the 2" PVC to the panel in the house and just pull THWN's to the garage. The hard part of burying the pipe outside is done so I might as well go the extra step. This way I'll have no splices in the run. Also, I am going to go with #3 copper THWN instead of aluminum. I found a local supply house that has it for a good price, less than $1 per foot. I will also run 3 wires and a ground. The way I'm thinking about it this will make for a nice straight forward install and there should be no question of whether it is correct.

Thanks again for the comments.
 

gndrod

Senior Member
Location
Ca and Wa
Hi romeo, Not familiar with SEA, but ASE (Armored Service Entrance)was the old armor type that created the SE-U designator unarmored to delineate the difference between both. You go back a ways stocking ASE.
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
gndrod said:
Hi romeo, Not familiar with SEA, but ASE (Armored Service Entrance)was the old armor type that created the SE-U designator unarmored to delineate the difference between both. You go back a ways stocking ASE.
Some of my old code books even have different sections in the 300's for each of those. The armoured version was to be wired to AC cable rules, and the unarmoured version was to be wired to NM cable rules. (1953, specifically)

I sorta wish they still made SE cable with the thick neoprene jacket. That stuff never rotted. It had a different designation, but I forget what it was.
 

gndrod

Senior Member
Location
Ca and Wa
Neoprene goes back to flight line jumpers to start up F80's. USAF Reserve 1952. Just before Corvettes. Wrecked two in one year..
 

gndrod

Senior Member
Location
Ca and Wa
Charlie, yer welcome. I think you might take a look at the other Posting on SE cable that George replied on the same subject. His take is more up to date on what is direct burial vs. wet location allowance on SEU and SER type cables. I am not sure if the supply houses are still pushing SER with thhn insulation.
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
LarryFine said:
So, are SEU and USE the same thing?
Oh my, no. Type SEU cable is a grey jacketed cable with two insulated conductors and a concentrically wound bare neutral under the jacket. Type USE is three insulated conductors with no jacket, twisted about one another to form a cable. Type SEU contains conductors that are normally marked RHW/XHHW and type USE cable normally contains conductors that are marked XLPE/XHHW.
 
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