Feeder cable clarification, SER cable

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sw_ross

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I need SER cable (4-wire) to go from the 200-amp service disconnect on the outside of the house to the 200-amp sub-panel in the mech room.

When I talk to the supply house over the phone they don't understand what I'm talking about...
I'm not sure why I'm not describing something that they're familiar with.

Like I described, I'm looking for the 4-wire cable (with the gray covering), in aluminum. 2-Hots, a neutral, and a ground (bare).

For this application it would be the typical 4/0. Can I reduce the neutral on a feeder, like with service conductors (2/0)? Then the ground 250.122) would be #4 AL.

What do I need to say for the supply house to understand what I'm requesting?
Thanks.
 
Ok, so I'm not crazy! Thank you!

I think with the C19 thing happening the supply house isn't operating like normal.
I probably got someone that was filling in and wasn't familiar with products and material.
I'll call Monday and talk to a normal sales person.
 
An additional question, when trying to get the SER thing described, the salesperson, who was obviously typing a search into their computer asked me about WAKE FOREST and whether that was what I was looking for...

I told them I had no clue what Wake Forest wire/cable is. I'd never heard of that name (related to wire) before. I asked if that was a brand or manufacturer- they weren't able to tell me much about it. They were obviously
shooting in the dark!

When I looked it up online I see that it looks like a twisted cable of individual conductors used for direct burial and comes in different configurations.

Is it a typical USE/RHW type of wire? Who makes it?
 
sw_ross said:
An additional question, when trying to get the SER thing described, the salesperson, who was obviously typing a search into their computer asked me about WAKE FOREST and whether that was what I was looking for...

I told them I had no clue what Wake Forest wire/cable is. I'd never heard of that name (related to wire) before. I asked if that was a brand or manufacturer- they weren't able to tell me much about it. They were obviously
shooting in the dark!

When I looked it up online I see that it looks like a twisted cable of individual conductors used for direct burial and comes in different configurations.

Is it a typical USE/RHW type of wire? Who makes it?
Click to expand...
He is confusing URD with SEU. URD is used by POCOs and they name all these sized and types. Same with aerial cables, they have names for all the sizes. Much URD cable is also marked and listed to be used under the NEC but it would have to be in conduit as it is not jacketed.
 
You can reduce the neutral on the feeder per the load calculation rules. If you have some pure 240V loads (water heater, air conditioning compressor), that makes it easiest. If there are things like clothes dryers and electric ranges, code allow their neutral load to be 70% of the ungrounded conductors.
 
texie said:
URD is used by POCOs and they name all these sized and types. Same with aerial cables, they have names for all the sizes.
Click to expand...
Technically I believe it is the aluminum association that names the conductor assemblies.

https://www.aluminum.org/sites/default/files/Code Words for Underground Distribution Cables.pdf

3 wire URD appears to be liberal arts colleges. Sweetbriar, very popular, but sometimes I use Pratt 😇
 
To be clear, SER is not automatically a 4-wire cable. It also comes in a 3-wire. SER stands for "service entrance round". I used to think all was 4-wire until my SH straightened me out on that.
 
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