Garage Feeder

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PURE

Member
Location
columbus, ohio
Running a feeder out to a detached garage, REDTAG for running USE inside a building. 338.12(B) not for interior wiring.
I ran URD(direct burial) out to the garage. Then up a pvc sleeve up the exterior for 3 ft, then a LB into the garage and LB up into the panel.
Inspector stated that the USE could not enter the building at all, I did not feel that it was used as Interior wiring.
 
Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
Occupation
EC - retired
Running a feeder out to a detached garage, REDTAG for running USE inside a building. 338.12(B) not for interior wiring.
I ran URD(direct burial) out to the garage. Then up a pvc sleeve up the exterior for 3 ft, then a LB into the garage and LB up into the panel.
Inspector stated that the USE could not enter the building at all, I did not feel that it was used as Interior wiring.
Does it have a dual listing?

Our inspectors allow URD into the SE from a Utility meter but no further. That does you no good though.

Where did the feeder originate? In the house?
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
I'd say you are fighting a loosing battle. Had you used an exterior LB directly into the back of the panel you might have passed but once you added wiring on the inside of the exterior wall, you had interior wiring. Some inspectors might have allowed that short section but if he chooses not to, you have little to stand on.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Strict interpretation - USE can not even come direct through back of wall and take shortest route possible to the terminations in the panel.

A typical compliant use of USE would be to use it for the service lateral from the utility source to a meter socket on exterior of building (it never enters a building) then use a conductor that is rated for use inside of buildings to run from meter to interior service disconnecting means.
 

fireryan

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
A little ashamed to say I didn't know this. People have been using this method forever around here and it's never been an issue. Guess now I know
 

fireryan

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
I think I'm also confusing urd and use cable. I think I call use cable urd just out of habit. To my knowledge use cable these days is dual rated and would be permissible to run inside a building
 

ActionDave

Chief Moderator
Staff member
Location
Durango, CO, 10 h 20 min from the winged horses.
Occupation
Licensed Electrician
I'm also a little confused in the op original posting. How did the urd turn into use when it reached the garage?
He is saying his wire is URD. The inspector is calling it USE. Without hearing from the OP again it's hard to know what wire he really has since the two terms are often used interchangeably for direct bury wire, but only USE is recognized by the NEC.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
URD is nothing more then multiplexed conductors without an overall covering, but is rated for direct burial. Those conductors may or may not be NEC recognized, and even if they are - if only marked as USE then they can not be used indoors.

Suppliers stock what sells. If you go to a home center and they do have "URD" they probably have limited selection and likely only have dual rated versions as they probably will not have much demand for the stuff that is only USE rated.

If you go to an electrical supply house they may have a much larger variety of sizes and types depending on what kind of customers they frequently sell to. Utility companies will purchase the USE only or even unlisted products, contractors that do a lot of outside facilities work need listed conductors but maybe don't need any more then a USE rating. The supply house will sell anything they have to anyone that asks for it, if you are lucky you may have a salesperson that knows the USE only rated stuff has limitations and will mention something - but most of the time that isn't happening.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
This is where local nomenclature causes problems. As stated by some the urd is generally what the power company uses. These cables are made for underground but do not have a vertical flame rating so it cannot enter a building. When we go into a supply house and ask for URD you will probably get USE which is almost always dual rated and it can be used inside the building if installed in conduit. It will be rated on the wire as Rhw or some other insulation that is specified in Chapter 3 Table 310.104
 

PURE

Member
Location
columbus, ohio
Trailer park feeder

Trailer park feeder

Thanks for the tip!! It seems that "Trailer park wiring", as it is called, IS DUAL RATED and the only thing you want to purchase going forward.
Clarification- direct burial wiring, PVC was only to sleeve up to the panel.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Mobile home feeder or trailer park wire is not a NEC recognized cable either - but is an assembly of NEC recognized conductors.

They are just multiplexed with commonly used conductor sizes.

The main thing different about an assembly specifically marketed for mobile home feeder from typical "URD" will be that it has and equipment grounding conductor that is appropriately sized in relation to the ungrounded conductor size for most typical mobile home applications.
 
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