2-2-2 Triplex

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DBoone

DBoone

Senior Member
Location
Mississippi
Occupation
General Contractor
The homeowner we are building a house for just had a metal shop built beside the house. He asked me if I would be interested in wiring it for him and I said yes. I get to the job this morning and over the weekend he has run 2-2-2 aluminum triplex from the meter combo to the shop.

He doesn't know about electrical and he just got what the supply house and POCO friend told him he needed. I had not told him what to buy yet.

I told him he really needed a 4 wire to the shop. Triplex is in the ground and covered up. Do we have any easy options to make it right.
 
DBoone said:
The homeowner we are building a house for just had a metal shop built beside the house. He asked me if I would be interested in wiring it for him and I said yes. I get to the job this morning and over the weekend he has run 2-2-2 aluminum triplex from the meter combo to the shop.

He doesn't know about electrical and he just got what the supply house and POCO friend told him he needed. I had not told him what to buy yet.

I told him he really needed a 4 wire to the shop. Triplex is in the ground and covered up. Do we have any easy options to make it right.
Click to expand...

Are you talking about the run from the meter to the first disconnect in the shop?
 
#2 aluminum must also have 90 amps overcurrent protection in this application - Bet you a donut they intended to protect it at 100 amps.
 
kwired said:
#2 aluminum must also have 90 amps overcurrent protection in this application - Bet you a donut they intended to protect it at 100 amps.
Click to expand...

You get a donut. He said they told him he needed a 100 breaker. So I looked and USE-2 is 100 amps at 90 degrees BUT 90 amps at 75 degrees.

Is "next size up" rule applicable in this case?
 
DBoone said:
The homeowner we are building a house for just had a metal shop built beside the house. He asked me if I would be interested in wiring it for him and I said yes. I get to the job this morning and over the weekend he has run 2-2-2 aluminum triplex from the meter combo to the shop.

He doesn't know about electrical and he just got what the supply house and POCO friend told him he needed. I had not told him what to buy yet.

I told him he really needed a 4 wire to the shop. Triplex is in the ground and covered up. Do we have any easy options to make it right.
Click to expand...

Use 230.40 Exception #3. You will just need to put in a Jox or wireway to split into two sets (unless you have a meter socket with dual lugs). You would need a 90 Amp OCPD in the shop.
 
DBoone said:
You get a donut. He said they told him he needed a 100 breaker. So I looked and USE-2 is 100 amps at 90 degrees BUT 90 amps at 75 degrees.

Is "next size up" rule applicable in this case?
Click to expand...
90 amps is already a standard size so there is no "next size up", if conductor had 91 ampacity then you could use next size up of 100, provide calculated load was not over 91.
 
electrofelon said:
Use 230.40 Exception #3. You will just need to put in a Jox or wireway to split into two sets (unless you have a meter socket with dual lugs). You would need a 90 Amp OCPD in the shop.
Click to expand...

This exception gets overlooked often but is a good one to know about. It can save some dollars on a long run to an outbuilding.
 
electrofelon said:
Use 230.40 Exception #3. You will just need to put in a Jox or wireway to split into two sets (unless you have a meter socket with dual lugs). You would need a 90 Amp OCPD in the shop.
Click to expand...

ActionDave said:
This exception gets overlooked often but is a good one to know about. It can save some dollars on a long run to an outbuilding.
Click to expand...

I forget about the exception.:dunce:

I think OP should start a side job on teaching people properly on sub panel installs in his area, he has ran into this twice in the past week.
 
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