Gtlegget@aol.com
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I have an alum 600 Kcmil conductor (USE-2, 385A) that during installation had 2 strands of the 61 cut. I am trying to figure out the new ampacity of this conductor.
Where, why, how were they cut? If on the very end, is the conductor too short to just remove that portion and still make the connection? More details will help.I have an alum 600 Kcmil conductor (USE-2, 385A) that during installation had 2 strands of the 61 cut. I am trying to figure out the new ampacity of this conductor.
Well, let's see:I have an alum 600 Kcmil conductor (USE-2, 385A) that during installation had 2 strands of the 61 cut. I am trying to figure out the new ampacity of this conductor.
The conductor is going into a properly sized lug, @ the end of a 400 ft U/G run, the strand is cut. it is in the bottom lug of a DC combiner box w little room to spare As the inspector I want to be reasonable, so I am getting opinions before I make the contractor dig a up the run and possibly damage more conductors in the trenchI have an alum 600 Kcmil conductor (USE-2, 385A) that during installation had 2 strands of the 61 cut. I am trying to figure out the new ampacity of this conductor.
Purely technically and theoretically, the conductor would have ampacity greater than 59/61 because ampacity per cmil ratio goes up as conductor size goes down. :happyyes:...
Purely technically and theoretically, the conductor would have 59/61 of its original current carrying capability, but would not have a rated ampacity under the code since it would no longer be a recognized wire size of type.
Is there actually a Code requirement to be compliant with would be the first question. The conductor was likely upsized for voltage drop, so the minimum size required for terminal temperature coordination may still be well below 600kcmil minus two strands.As far as code compliance goes, just splice it!
To be technically correct, the NEC does not have any explicit and direct requirements for conductor ampacity in an enclosure.The conductor is going into a properly sized lug, @ the end of a 400 ft U/G run, the strand is cut. it is in the bottom lug of a DC combiner box w little room to spare As the inspector I want to be reasonable, so I am getting opinions before I make the contractor dig a up the run and possibly damage more conductors in the trench