SOOW CORD 400.6

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Jpflex

Jpflex

Electrician big leagues
Location
Victorville
Occupation
Electrician commercial and residential
Boss wants me to directly bury his SOOW cord 600volt listed. In section 400.6 the cord is listed under note 9 as suitable for wet location.

However, no cords I could find specifically state suitable for direct burial. I do know that wires run in conduit underground must be listed for wet locations and anything under ground is considered a wet location.

Where in code can you assure SOOW is legal for direct burial or not?

This will be feeding a 50 ampere sub panel from a main panel. Thanks
 
Also when trying to determine cable size required as a feeder coming from a proposed 100 ampere main and terminating at a 50 ampere sub panel.

(Not my idea for this run nor makes sense to terminate at 50 amperes for sub panel)

Main panel will be single split phase 240 volts so do I use table 400.5A1 column A for three current carrying conductors or column B two conductor cords? ( I do not know if they are counting two conductors as one phase and one neutral or 2 phase wires?

Thanks
 
Jpflex said:
Boss is probably not going to redo unless forced to do I would say possibly permanent
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Makes one wonder how many miles of SJTW and NM-B is buried out there and been in use for decades.

Watched my dumb-@$$ neighbor bury a 16/3 SJTW down to his dock one day, then run it out on the dock to power his boat lift motor. Worked for a decade before he died of un-related dumb-@$$ causes.
 
I’m also worried about meeting temperature termination requirements 100 amperes or less 60 degree termination but SOOW table ends at 2 AWG at 95 amperes before temp correction derating etc
 
SOOW is portable cord, not cable. You can't use it as part of permanent fixed wiring. Go buy the right cable.
 
Jpflex said:
Bosses decision not mine but if I can find nec code I will have more pull
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400.10 Uses Permitted.
(A) Uses. Flexible cords and flexible cables shall be used only
for the following:
(1) Pendants.
(2) Wiring of luminaires.
(3) Connection of portable luminaires, portable and mobile
signs, or appliances.
(4) Elevator cables.
(5) Wiring of cranes and hoists.
(6) Connection of utilization equipment to facilitate
frequent interchange.
(7) Prevention of the transmission of noise or vibration.
(8) Appliances where the fastening means and mechanical
connections are specifically designed to permit ready
removal for maintenance and repair, and the appliance
is intended or identified for flexible cord connection.
(9) Connection of moving parts.
(10) Where specifically permitted elsewhere in this Code.
(11) Between an existing receptacle outlet and an inlet,
where the inlet provides power to an additional single
receptacle outlet. The wiring interconnecting the inlet
to the single receptacle outlet shall be a Chapter 3
wiring method. The inlet, receptacle outlet, and Chapter
3 wiring method, including the flexible cord and
fittings, shall be a listed assembly specific for this application.

And there's nothing in CH. 3 permitting it.
 
Jpflex said:
However, no cords I could find specifically state suitable for direct burial
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You probably won't, and in this case if it's not explicitly allowed (direct-burial rated), then it's prohibited. One reference I did find from a cable company said about SOOW "The cable cannot be used for direct burial outside the buildings because it would make it subjected to physical damage."

Also, earlier in 400 there's the bit about not using cord as a substitute for fixed wiring, and buried cable is pretty fixed :).
 
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