Service Entrance Cable Phase/Color Matter?

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vtsawmill

Member
Location
vt
Occupation
apprentice
Hello everyone. I worked as an apprentice 20 years ago and am recently working in the field again. I am in VT and there seems to be confusion about the color coding of the 4 O SEU cable for a 200 amp service upgrade. The cable has a red and a black wire. Seems like they used to be both black and I don't remember it mattering which side the wires were in the meter socket, or the panel. Now, with the two colors, I am not sure if the phase or color order matters...I have been looking online and in my old books, and cannot find this answer...

Do I just ignore the color and connect the wires from the socket to the panel like I remember, or has something new come to light? Thank you, and I hope this isn't a stupid question..
 
There are no color requirements for the ungrounded conductors. The grounded conductor must be identified as required by 200.6. It does not matter which color is landed where.
 
As Don said the color of the ungrounded conductors for a single phase, 120/240 volt system do not matter. In fact some Eaton 200 amp panels reverse the ungrounded conductors after the main breaker.
 
infinity said:
In fact some Eaton 200 amp panels reverse the ungrounded conductors after the main breaker.
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Square D QOM series main breakers also swap polarity between line and load sides of those breakers. Guessing the Eaton ones you mentioned are the ones with similar design to them.
 
vtsawmill said:
Hello everyone. I worked as an apprentice 20 years ago and am recently working in the field again. I am in VT and there seems to be confusion about the color coding of the 4 O SEU cable for a 200 amp service upgrade. The cable has a red and a black wire. Seems like they used to be both black and I don't remember it mattering which side the wires were in the meter socket, or the panel. Now, with the two colors, I am not sure if the phase or color order matters...I have been looking online and in my old books, and cannot find this answer...

Do I just ignore the color and connect the wires from the socket to the panel like I remember, or has something new come to light? Thank you, and I hope this isn't a stupid question..
Click to expand...
NEC only requires methods of identifying voltage and phase of different systems within the same facility. If there is only one voltage system NEC doesn't require any differentiation at all besides grounded conductors and high leg of delta systems that have that sort of thing - but even that (high leg identification) is only required when the grounded conductor and high leg are both present at a particular location.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
There are no color requirements for the ungrounded conductors. The grounded conductor must be identified as required by 200.6. It does not matter which color is landed where.
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But check with the AHJ. There are two that I have dealt with who require a red and a black for L1 and L2. Interestingly enough, for the two AHJs, which color goes on which line are the reverse from each other.
 
Only time I was questioned on wire color was when I was using 4/0 mobile home feeder. It has a black, black w/red stripe, black w/white stripe, and green. Inspector questioned the black w/white stripe as being allowed for the neutral. The conductor set (hate to say cable as it has no outer sheath) was listed as mobile home feeder so he had to allow it. I think it is USE-2 type.
 
Little Bill said:
Only time I was questioned on wire color was when I was using 4/0 mobile home feeder. It has a black, black w/red stripe, black w/white stripe, and green. Inspector questioned the black w/white stripe as being allowed for the neutral. The conductor set (hate to say cable as it has no outer sheath) was listed as mobile home feeder so he had to allow it. I think it is USE-2 type.
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Had to have additional ratings to be allowed to enter a building.

Not sure if there is such a thing as mobile home feeder as far as listing purposes goes. What I have seen is nothing more than a multiplexed assembly and is marketed as mobile home cable but per NEC is just USE/RHW/RHH.

Probably had to have three stripes on the white (and green if it is striped) to be NEC compliant. But at same time one could still field identify with tape, paint, etc. as long as it is 4 AWG or larger conductor and it should be good NEC wise.
 
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