Street Lighting

[steve66]

Why does everyone always seem to spec. USE cable for street lighting circuits, even when it is ran in PVC conduit??

Wouldn't THHN/THWN or XHHW work just as well?

Also, is there anything that says an outdoor pull/splice box needs a bottom? I've seen some that just stop at the dirt, and I was wondering if there was any restrictions on what type of wire that one could use in them? Or, are there any restrictions on splicing wires in these boxes?

Thanks in advance;
Steve

 

[peter d]

Why does everyone always seem to spec. USE cable for street lighting circuits, even when it is ran in PVC conduit??

Around here, most street lights are maintained by the POCO. I don't know what kind of cable they use, but I saw them repairing the feeds for some UG fed lights and they were installing a pre-made assembly of white/red/black conductors in conduit.. I'm guessing it's XHHW.

 

[cowboyjwc]

I'm not sure why they would spec it either other than maybe they look at it as double protection.

No you don't need a bottom on the pull box.

 

[chris kennedy]

No you don't need a bottom on the pull box.

314.30 Handhole Enclosures.
Handhole enclosures shall be designed and installed to withstand all loads likely to be imposed on them. They shall be identified for use in underground systems.
FPN: See ANSI/SCTE 77-2002, Specification for Underground Enclosure Integrity, for additional information on deliberate and nondeliberate traffic loading that can be expected to bear on underground enclosures.
(A) Size. Handhole enclosures shall be sized in accordance with 314.28(A) for conductors operating at 600 volts or below, and in accordance with 314.71 for conductors operating at over 600 volts. For handhole enclosures without bottoms where the provisions of 314.28(A)(2), Exception, or 314.71(B)(1), Exception No. 1, apply, the measurement to the removable cover shall be taken from the end of the conduit or cable assembly.

Also bare in mind...

(C) Enclosed Wiring. All enclosed conductors and any splices or terminations, if present, shall be listed as suitable for wet locations.

Check out polaris blue. I like them alot.

 

[jerm]

Check out polaris blue. I like them alot.

Those things sure are pricey. The last ones we bought (not blue, 500x5 feed-through, I think the IPLD-500-10) were around $90 each our cost.

I also noticed in the PDF that blues only go to 250. I've never direct-buried anything that big anyway.

 

[charlie]

I don't know what kind of cable they use . . .

I am guessing that they are using either #6 or #2 AL PE cable that is either duplexed or triplexed and it is already assembled in HDPE conduit on reels. I assure you that most of the cable the electric utility uses is not a Code recognized conductor. We purchase nothing that has passed the vertical flame test so we can not enter a building with our cable.

 

[chris kennedy]

Those things sure are pricey.

It's the right connector for the job. Is there another way to connect 3 or 4 conductors # 6 or larger in a hand hole that still satisifies 314.30(C)?

 

[peter d]

I am guessing that they are using either #6 or #2 AL PE cable that is either duplexed or triplexed and it is already assembled in HDPE conduit on reels.

In this particular case, it was just the cable itself on the reel without conduit. They were replacing some of the old UG stuff that had gotten beat up from the poles being knocked over by cars over the years. (even with the break away connectors)

 

[steve66]

OK, so I need to change my spec. to include splices listed for wet locations. I hadn't seen 314.30.

Steve