ALaurel
New member
- Location
- Fort Worth
CAN I RUN XLPE(USE-2) FROM MAIN SERVICE ENTRANCE IN PVC CONDUIT OVERHEAD ALONG EAVE OF HOUSEAND THROUGH STEEL CARPORT AND INTO GUESTHOUSE
TRIPLEX WIRE MARKINGS:
2 WIRES- 4/0
KINGWIRE E309788 SWEETBRIAR 4/0AWG AL TYPE USE-2 600V SUN-RES XLPE [UL] COREAL 14/12/12 PHASE A 12516 f. t.B.D
1 WIRE- 2/0 (Neutral with ayellow stripe)
KINGWIRE (can’t read the numbers)SWEETBRIAR 2/0 AWG AL TYPE USE-2 600V SUN-RES XLPE [UL] COREAL 14/12/12 NEUTRALH.O.
About June 2014 I began to build a 1,200 sq. ft. guest house(House #2) next to my primary residence (House #1). The guest house and my primary residence areabout 60’ apart from each other with a heavy-duty steel overhang (garage-port) inbetween the two. Both houses faceeast. House #1 has the electricity service(Smart meter box and Breaker Panel mounted outside the house) in the back ofHouse #1 (facing west). The property isin an unincorporated area of Fort Worth, TX. The service comes from the utility pole about 200 feet west of House #1and the electricity is run underground. The service provider (Oncor) has visited the site and has confirmed thatthe wires coming from the service utility pole (underground) to House #1 aresufficiently thick for an electrician to remove the current meter box of House#1 (200 Amps now) and install a two-lug 320 Amp meter box to feed both houses,each with 200 Amp service.
About December 2014, I had about 4 electricians (licensedand bonded) come out to give me estimates on what to do to power the 200 Amp inHouse #2. All of them advised that Ishould remove the 200 Amp meter box from House #1 and install a two-lug 320 ampmeter box to feed both 200 Amp breaker boxes in House #1 and #2. They also suggested installing a breakercutoff next to the 320 Amp meter box outside of House #1.
All of them suggested two options for running the wire.
Option A: Run theXPLE wire (without conduit) diagonally (from the back where the 320 Amp meterwill be and through the attic of House #1, coming out of the attic at the roof eaveand through the heavy-duty steel overhang and into House #2 (House #2 has its breakerbox inside the house of an the exterior wall on the side of the overhang usedto run the wire). The wire in theoverhang lies inside of an exposed red 12” C perlin that supports the sheetmetal of the overhang and encased in 2” gray PVC. A liquid tight connector would be used wherethe wire exits the attic of House #1 through the eave and another liquid tightwould be used where it enters House #2, on the wall as it is a 2-story house). Option B: All the same, except run the XPLE along the eave of House #1 in PVCconduit and make the two corners with liquid tight.
Now, I have completed most of House #2 (including the wiringof the electrical panel and receptacles in House #2) and placed the XLPE wire in2” PVC gray conduit-Option B.
To be on the safe side, I decided to do some research on thewire (XLPE) and found some conflicting information about running the XLPE overheadin conduit, not sure why.
Most of the posts I found on the Internet state that the NECdoes not recognize the XLPE and therefore it cannot be used in a dwelling so Idecided against running through the attic (with or without conduit). From my understanding, it is because the XLPEis not flame retardant and is a fire hazard to use in dwellings. Another concern I read about is that a rodentcould eat through it (it would take a big rat). I am also not sure if it is permissible to encase it in PVC and run itoverhead even though the wire states that it is “SUN –RES …UL… USE-2”
After reading various forums on this subject, including thisone, I decided to call another Master electrician. He came out and looked at the set up (of bothHouses). While he was there I explainedmy concerns about the XLPE and I asked what he thought. He took down the information on the wire and saidhe needed to check the “book,” (I assume the NEC book?) While he was there, I asked him if I couldnot run the XLPE wire through the attic (cased or uncased), if I could encasethe XLPE wire in 2” gray PVC and run it under my roof eave supported by steelhangers (I explained there would be four 90 degree turns in the wire). He said he would have to check that outtoo. He called me back the same day andsaid that the “book” did not say that I could or couldn’t run the XLPE throughthe attic, but it was up to me if I wanted him to do that. He said he could not be responsible shouldthere be any problems. I asked aboutencasing the XLPE in PVC and running it under the house eave. He said he would be more comfortable doingthat (under eaves) because the XLPE would not be inside the dwelling (House#1). He did not have any problems with thefour 90 degree turns.
PLEASE NOTE: I cannot bury the wire because of theconcrete slab that runs along the back of House #1 and the power from theutility pole is also buried below the same slab (burying the wires runningperpendicular to each other is too difficult, time-consuming, and expensive todo). Running the wire overhead above theroof line is also not possible because of the roof angle and trees in the area. Also, I already have two service drops fromthe electrical provider (one to the water well and another to House #1) on thisproperty so I cannot get the utility company to provide another service drop withoutit costing me a whole lot of money (300’ run underground to House #2).
QUESTIONS:
1. Is the wire that I purchased safe (NECcompliant) to use encased in PVC under roof eaves supported by steel supportsand using liquid tight at the angles? Can you provide any citations to any applicable sections of the NEC?
2. Assuming the wire is not safe (NEC Compliant) torun overhead (encased in PVC), is it safe (NEC Compliant) to run it under the eavesof House #1?
3. Are there any issues with the wire having four90 degree turns?
4. Is it also safe (NEC Compliant) to run the encasedXLPE on the steel C perlin (part of carport)?
5. Any other ideas, suggestions, or otherunforeseen issues not presented here would be appreciated.
Thank you to any and all that can provide me some insight.
TRIPLEX WIRE MARKINGS:
2 WIRES- 4/0
KINGWIRE E309788 SWEETBRIAR 4/0AWG AL TYPE USE-2 600V SUN-RES XLPE [UL] COREAL 14/12/12 PHASE A 12516 f. t.B.D
1 WIRE- 2/0 (Neutral with ayellow stripe)
KINGWIRE (can’t read the numbers)SWEETBRIAR 2/0 AWG AL TYPE USE-2 600V SUN-RES XLPE [UL] COREAL 14/12/12 NEUTRALH.O.
About June 2014 I began to build a 1,200 sq. ft. guest house(House #2) next to my primary residence (House #1). The guest house and my primary residence areabout 60’ apart from each other with a heavy-duty steel overhang (garage-port) inbetween the two. Both houses faceeast. House #1 has the electricity service(Smart meter box and Breaker Panel mounted outside the house) in the back ofHouse #1 (facing west). The property isin an unincorporated area of Fort Worth, TX. The service comes from the utility pole about 200 feet west of House #1and the electricity is run underground. The service provider (Oncor) has visited the site and has confirmed thatthe wires coming from the service utility pole (underground) to House #1 aresufficiently thick for an electrician to remove the current meter box of House#1 (200 Amps now) and install a two-lug 320 Amp meter box to feed both houses,each with 200 Amp service.
About December 2014, I had about 4 electricians (licensedand bonded) come out to give me estimates on what to do to power the 200 Amp inHouse #2. All of them advised that Ishould remove the 200 Amp meter box from House #1 and install a two-lug 320 ampmeter box to feed both 200 Amp breaker boxes in House #1 and #2. They also suggested installing a breakercutoff next to the 320 Amp meter box outside of House #1.
All of them suggested two options for running the wire.
Option A: Run theXPLE wire (without conduit) diagonally (from the back where the 320 Amp meterwill be and through the attic of House #1, coming out of the attic at the roof eaveand through the heavy-duty steel overhang and into House #2 (House #2 has its breakerbox inside the house of an the exterior wall on the side of the overhang usedto run the wire). The wire in theoverhang lies inside of an exposed red 12” C perlin that supports the sheetmetal of the overhang and encased in 2” gray PVC. A liquid tight connector would be used wherethe wire exits the attic of House #1 through the eave and another liquid tightwould be used where it enters House #2, on the wall as it is a 2-story house). Option B: All the same, except run the XPLE along the eave of House #1 in PVCconduit and make the two corners with liquid tight.
Now, I have completed most of House #2 (including the wiringof the electrical panel and receptacles in House #2) and placed the XLPE wire in2” PVC gray conduit-Option B.
To be on the safe side, I decided to do some research on thewire (XLPE) and found some conflicting information about running the XLPE overheadin conduit, not sure why.
Most of the posts I found on the Internet state that the NECdoes not recognize the XLPE and therefore it cannot be used in a dwelling so Idecided against running through the attic (with or without conduit). From my understanding, it is because the XLPEis not flame retardant and is a fire hazard to use in dwellings. Another concern I read about is that a rodentcould eat through it (it would take a big rat). I am also not sure if it is permissible to encase it in PVC and run itoverhead even though the wire states that it is “SUN –RES …UL… USE-2”
After reading various forums on this subject, including thisone, I decided to call another Master electrician. He came out and looked at the set up (of bothHouses). While he was there I explainedmy concerns about the XLPE and I asked what he thought. He took down the information on the wire and saidhe needed to check the “book,” (I assume the NEC book?) While he was there, I asked him if I couldnot run the XLPE wire through the attic (cased or uncased), if I could encasethe XLPE wire in 2” gray PVC and run it under my roof eave supported by steelhangers (I explained there would be four 90 degree turns in the wire). He said he would have to check that outtoo. He called me back the same day andsaid that the “book” did not say that I could or couldn’t run the XLPE throughthe attic, but it was up to me if I wanted him to do that. He said he could not be responsible shouldthere be any problems. I asked aboutencasing the XLPE in PVC and running it under the house eave. He said he would be more comfortable doingthat (under eaves) because the XLPE would not be inside the dwelling (House#1). He did not have any problems with thefour 90 degree turns.
PLEASE NOTE: I cannot bury the wire because of theconcrete slab that runs along the back of House #1 and the power from theutility pole is also buried below the same slab (burying the wires runningperpendicular to each other is too difficult, time-consuming, and expensive todo). Running the wire overhead above theroof line is also not possible because of the roof angle and trees in the area. Also, I already have two service drops fromthe electrical provider (one to the water well and another to House #1) on thisproperty so I cannot get the utility company to provide another service drop withoutit costing me a whole lot of money (300’ run underground to House #2).
QUESTIONS:
1. Is the wire that I purchased safe (NECcompliant) to use encased in PVC under roof eaves supported by steel supportsand using liquid tight at the angles? Can you provide any citations to any applicable sections of the NEC?
2. Assuming the wire is not safe (NEC Compliant) torun overhead (encased in PVC), is it safe (NEC Compliant) to run it under the eavesof House #1?
3. Are there any issues with the wire having four90 degree turns?
4. Is it also safe (NEC Compliant) to run the encasedXLPE on the steel C perlin (part of carport)?
5. Any other ideas, suggestions, or otherunforeseen issues not presented here would be appreciated.
Thank you to any and all that can provide me some insight.
