control wire cable?

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nizak

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Am looking for a #16gauge multi conductor cable(6 conductor)that is rated for install in conduit along with AC power conductors. This is for a generator install.Anybody recommend a product they might use.I am told that Generac offers a cable for this use but am unable to locate it on their site. Thanks.
 
Have you called your supply house?

I've found they can usually talk to their wire distributors and get an answer faster than I can by looking all over the internet. I'm going to guess you'll end up with some sort of tray cable.
 
After hours now. Thought I might catch someone here who possibly uses such a product regularly.
 
Multi conductor tray cable (600 volt) or power limited tray cable (300V). Belden makes it. Some houses will have master spools and cut to length.
 
I have never heard of Generac selling a special cable. As others have said you can use TC.

I'm not sure why people get so hung up on using a cable for the control wiring. I have always used #14 stranded THHN/THWN. Its much faster than making a special trip to the supply house to get a custom cut. Even if I only have 1 roll of #14 I can real off 6 cuts in a few minutes.

If you are planing to pull a cable in the same conduits as your feeds you will need to up size your conduit considerably. Your conduit fill is based on the overall dimensions of the cable not the 6 individual wires.
 
curt swartz said:
I have never heard of Generac selling a special cable. As others have said you can use TC.

I'm not sure why people get so hung up on using a cable for the control wiring. I have always used #14 stranded THHN/THWN. Its much faster than making a special trip to the supply house to get a custom cut. Even if I only have 1 roll of #14 I can real off 6 cuts in a few minutes.
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Why make a special trip to the supply house? I'm sure there are other items you need to pickup at the supply house for standy generator installations, why not get the TC cable then? Or use the link I posted and have it delivered to your shop. How did the #14 THHN get on your truck? Use that same method to get the TC cable :thumbsup:

I've used your proposed method of #14 THHN on many generator installations before I learned of using TC cable. Using #14 THHN costs more money and takes more time. Having to label 6 wires separately and then having to deal with them twisting up as you pull 6 pieces off a single real is a waste of time. Even if you have 6 different colors, setting up the reels is a waste of time. Pulling a single TC cable into the raceway is much easier, I can tell you that from direct experience since I've done it both ways a couple dozen times each. I will never go back to #14 THHN, it would be throwing money away.

If you are planing to pull a cable in the same conduits as your feeds you will need to up size your conduit considerably.
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With all due respect, I just can't see how this is true.

Your conduit fill is based on the overall dimensions of the cable not the 6 individual wires.
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This a theory, please tell us the real world experiences you had in which you had to "up size your conduit considerably". I assume "considerably" means at least 2 trade sizes, right?

In my experience, I have never had to upsize the conduit at all. For example, for the typical 20kW installation that I usually do, I use the same 1 1/4" PVC that I have always used (and everyone else seems to use too). The TC cable with an O.D. of 0.360" fits just fine with (3) X #4 and (1) X #8.
 
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HackElectric said:
for the typical 20kW installation that I usually do, I use the same 1 1/4" PVC that I have always used (and everyone else seems to use too). The TC cable with an O.D. of 0.360" fits just fine with (3) X #4 and (1) X #8.
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I just finish a 20KW Generac and that is exactly how I wired it! Same conduit even!
 
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