Neutral with yellow stripe

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electricalist

electricalist

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Location
dallas tx
There was a thread on here about how some ahj fail it others dont. Anyway I saw some guys I know installing some and took a picture.
ee46b8d3338a151ee4eb9feab56ddb93.jpg

My guess is its identified with the word neutral. The yellow strip is irrelevant.

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electricalist said:
My guess is its identified with the word neutral. The yellow strip is irrelevant.
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Actually, the yellow stripe and the word neutral are both irrelevant. Neither is listed in 200.6(B) as a method for identifying a grounded conductor, but marking it white or gray with tape or other means solves the problem.

(B) Sizes 4 AWG or Larger. An insulated grounded conductor
4 AWG or larger shall be identified by one of the
following means:
(1) A continuous white outer finish.
(2) A continuous gray outer finish.
(3) Three continuous white or gray stripes along the conductor’s
entire length on other than green insulation.
(4) At the time of installation, by a distinctive white or
gray marking at its terminations. This marking shall
encircle the conductor or insulation.
 
mbrooke said:
My understanding that would be URD (POCO) cable which is not recognized in the NEC?
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Not necessarily. I can get URD from my supply houses that is dual rated USE/RHW as well as just plain USE only. Kind of depends on size and number of conductors, as a lot of 'Quad' cable is stocked that is not dual rated, but most of the triplex is. The quad is often sold to guy that do farm work and often use long runs and never enter a building - so the USE though only slightly less in cost does add up when you have 1000' or longer runs, compared to only a couple hundred feet max to supply a dwelling.
 
kwired said:
Not necessarily. I can get URD from my supply houses that is dual rated USE/RHW as well as just plain USE only. Kind of depends on size and number of conductors, as a lot of 'Quad' cable is stocked that is not dual rated, but most of the triplex is. The quad is often sold to guy that do farm work and often use long runs and never enter a building - so the USE though only slightly less in cost does add up when you have 1000' or longer runs, compared to only a couple hundred feet max to supply a dwelling.
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Ok, got. I was not aware of the dual rating. Is the dual rated stuff any different?
 
mbrooke said:
Ok, got. I was not aware of the dual rating. Is the dual rated stuff any different?
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Most of what we get that is dual rated is also compact conductors, and they are easier to bend and form. Insulation? IDK what the difference really is other then listing and labeling - could very well be same thing but the correct marking comes with a higher price.
 
kwired said:
Most of what we get that is dual rated is also compact conductors, and they are easier to bend and form. Insulation? IDK what the difference really is other then listing and labeling - could very well be same thing but the correct marking comes with a higher price.
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I bet its the same, just extra cost for testing.
 
IIRC, the tested characteristic that is different is the vertical flame spread.
It may be a slightly different insulation composition, or it may be, as speculated, just not doing the testing and tracking paperwork during manufacture.
 
mbrooke said:
I bet its the same, just extra cost for testing.
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If it is actualy same material, then in a way testing really isn't needed, it is just the fact they did not submit a specific product for testing - and because of that did not label it as something that meets a specific listing.

Unless some component is added that has a significant cost difference - I'd bet they use same material for both products.

Other thing that may come to play is whether the aluminum alloy used is acceptable for the non NEC compliant cables.
 
electricalist said:
There was a thread on here about how some ahj fail it others dont. Anyway I saw some guys I know installing some and took a picture.
ee46b8d3338a151ee4eb9feab56ddb93.jpg

My guess is its identified with the word neutral. The yellow strip is irrelevant.

Sent from my LGLS770 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure the stripe and lettering are there for the convenience of the installer so the he can tell which wire is which at the other end of a pull. You still have to mark the neutral with white tape to be NEC compliant.
 
kwired said:
If it is actualy same material, then in a way testing really isn't needed, it is just the fact they did not submit a specific product for testing - and because of that did not label it as something that meets a specific listing.

Unless some component is added that has a significant cost difference - I'd bet they use same material for both products.

Other thing that may come to play is whether the aluminum alloy used is acceptable for the non NEC compliant cables.
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If I am correct POCO cables have a different alloy then NEC cables, but not sure if it still hold true and for what 600 volt (and under) cables.
 
mbrooke said:
If I am correct POCO cables have a different alloy then NEC cables, but not sure if it still hold true and for what 600 volt (and under) cables.
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The NEC has specific alloys? What chapter is that covered under?

POCOs follow a different set of rules. We use the NEC, they use the NESC. Have you ever seen a linesman put white tape on an insulated conductor?

I have 'talked code' with many a linesman. What usually happens is we get to a point where the NEC and NESC say different things and we both think the other book is wrong or not as good.

I am pretty sure the NESC does not require white marking on a grounded conductor.
 
K8MHZ said:
The NEC has specific alloys? What chapter is that covered under?
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The NEC doesnt have any requirements regarding alloy, but aluminum conductor sold today intended for building wiring usually has 8000 series and above aluminum alloy. I am not sure if all POCO AL is the same in that regard.


POCOs follow a different set of rules. We use the NEC, they use the NESC.
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I know that, along with different connectors.


Have you ever seen a linesman put white tape on an insulated conductor?
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As I matter of fact I have, green also :D (see pic)


I have 'talked code' with many a linesman. What usually happens is we get to a point where the NEC and NESC say different things and we both think the other book is wrong or not as good.
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NESC is mainly intended to for wiring outside of buildings, the NEC is mainly concerned about wiring in and directly outside of buildings.

Btw, not all POCOs follow the NESC.



I am pretty sure the NESC does not require white marking on a grounded conductor.
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You are correct in that regard.
 
K8MHZ said:
I've never seen anything like that around here! So, from the pole, according to the tape color in the pic, there is a hot, a neutral and a ground going somewhere? I have never seen both a neutral and a ground separately coming in from the POCO.
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Look at pic 1. I think those are 3 hot/ungrounded phases as they are all fused.
 
K8MHZ said:
I've never seen anything like that around here! So, from the pole, according to the tape color in the pic, there is a hot, a neutral and a ground going somewhere? I have never seen both a neutral and a ground separately coming in from the POCO.
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jumper said:
Look at pic 1. I think those are 3 hot/ungrounded phases as they are all fused.
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Those pictures are also medium voltage circuits.

White doesn't always mean grounded conductor to linemen, they also do not use equipment grounding conductors - don't know if there is any restrictions in NESC on the white or green colors though.

I have seen many POCO mark a 600 volt or less ungrounded conductors with red white and blue tape regardless of actual voltage because that is the color of leads that are attached to most rotation test meters.
 
We have an inspector here that wanted us to pull out our service lateral grounded conductor because it was yellow, we got by with white tape on the entirety of the visible wire in the panels. Inspector claimed neutral wire must be white for entire length of the conductor. This was a lateral the utility company ran from a 200A panel on the garage to the 200A panel on the house fed with a feed through breaker.
 
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