NEC Table 310.20

curious101

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta, GA, USA
Hello,
Messenger wire is sized per NEC Table 310.20, but a new project is in a jurisdiction where NEC 2011 is adopted. There is no Table 310.20 in NEC 2011. How should the information be referenced?
Thanks!
 

tortuga

Code Historian
Location
Oregon
Occupation
Electrical Design
Its all up to your AHJ,
Since utilities don't require XLPE messenger cable to be UL listed manufacturers don't bother using a NEC 310 type wire when making the cable.
Utilities also size the ampacity of the cable based on the manufacturers instructions.
My take is, and others on here will disagree, the NEC allows us to do the same, 396.10 says there is a table of permitted messenger cable types and go by the NEC code article that matches the cable type in the 2011 NEC table:
396.10 Uses Permitted
(A) Cable Types. The cable types in Table 396.10(A) shall
be permitted to be installed in messenger-supported wiring
under the conditions described in the article or section referenced
for each.
One of the entries in the table is Other factory-assembled power cables that are identified for the use and no code article. Note the use of the word identified and the definition of identified:
Recognizable as suitable for the specific purpose, function, use, environment, application, and so forth, where described in a particular
Code requirement.
The fact that the utilities all over use the cable according to the manufacturers instructions that makes it Recognizable as suitable for the specific purpose, function, use, environment, application, and so forth.
So I'd say if your running non-listed utility triplex as a outside feeder similar to how a utility does, terminated with 90c connectors in free air as a utility does then its fine to use the manufacturers ampacity table.




T396.10A.png
 
Last edited:

tortuga

Code Historian
Location
Oregon
Occupation
Electrical Design
I believe that table was in the 2011 under 310.15(B)(20).
Its just that most messenger supported cable is XLPE not any of those NEC conductor types in the table so your back to guessing.
Its like NM cable its not required to have a NEC 310.104 wire type but for NM there is a 334.80 that says what ampacity table to use.
 
Top