don193310

[don193310]

I am a building inspector in Lopuisiana and had a man to ask me a question that I need help with. He said he has a customer who wants to add a solar system on an existing shop adjacent to his home He now has a 5 conductor #10 aug pe/pvc jacketed cable labeled underground direct burial, 600 volt 75 deg c. running underground from the main house panelwhich supplies power to his shop. He wants to know if these conductors would be suffieient to connect a solar systems supplying a maximum of 25 amps ac back to the main house breaker panel.. He says he typically uses #10 thhn in conjunction with a 30 amp breaker on his installs but he is unfimiliar with the pe/pvc cable and looking for some clarification from NEC before preceeding. He says 2 of the 5 conductors are currently unused and he could possibly use those for his L1 and L2 if needed.....Any help would be appreciated........

Thanks a bunch,

Don

 

[Smart $]

Welcome... :thumbsup:

The first thing that comes to mind is whether this cable Type (or the Type of individual conductors therein, if marked) are recognized by the NEC. The NEC does not recognize a cable marked as "pe/pvc". If that is the only marking, the cable itself would be non-compliant. However, if the individual conductors are marked as a recognized Type of single conductor, it could be considered compliant, with the UL (or other testing lab certification) listing/labeling as suitable for direct burial.

Let's say the preceding passes scrutiny. Next would be a question of necessary conductors. If his PV System requires 2 current-carrying conductors (L1 and L2), one of the other conductors already in use must be an equipment grounding conductor (EGC).

 

[don193310]

Thanks for prompt reply.