conductor insulation questions

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rickl

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is TW conductor rated for direct burial? ( i know it not but just checking) here is my situation i have a open in one of the ungrounded conductor. i have 4 #2 alum TW black conductors leaving a disconnect in conduit underground, its going to a sub panel. at the sub panel i have 4 #2 copper TW conductor 2 black and 2 white also in conduit. today i pushed a fish tape in the conduit, it stops 2' in the ground, so i try the other end same thing, so apparently the TW conductors are not in conduit and all 4 are spliced somewhere between point A and point B. so tomorrow I'll try to dig it up and find out what i have. IS IT LEGAL TO DIRECT BURY TW CONDUCTORS
thanks
 
Re: conductor insulation questions

Only if the wires are also labeled USE. A type UF cable has to have a sheath over the conductor insulation.

Used to be that USE was just RW with extra thick insulation. Then it was TW with extra thick insulation. Nowdays it is XHHW with extra thick insulation. XHHW is the best of the bunch.

Are you sure that one of your 2 white wires is an equipment ground? I have seen a few instances where somebody only bought 2 wire colors and retagged one green. Sometimes somebody will forget to buy green tape.

Heck, I have done all 4 or 5 in black and used colored tape!
 
Re: conductor insulation questions

2 TW 6OOV TRIANGLE MOISTURE RESISTANT GRADE. this is what it says on the wire, this is old wire probably 20-25 years old.

MC5W are you saying TW was legal to bury, once upon a time, if so it would be legal & ok to leave it ( after finding the open). its impossible to dig a new ditch from point a to point b.
or are you saying it still needs the USE listing on it to be direct buried.

i have 120 volts from 1 conductor, hot to neutral and hot to ground and 0 volts from the other conductor
 
Re: conductor insulation questions

Often overlooked is:
300.3 Conductors.
( A) Single Conductors. Single conductors specified in Table 310.13 shall only be installed where part of a recognized wiring method of Chapter 3.
Click to expand...
Simply put, a TW conductor must be installed per one of the methods recognized in Arts 300-398. Except for Art 340, "direct burial" of 1/C Table 310.13 conductors isn't one of them.

Edit Add: The markings you indicate wouldn't have been compliant 20-25 years ago either.
 
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