UF (underground feeder cable) 12/4 ?

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brother

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Its been hard to find UF cable 12/4 , basically 2 hots 2 neutrals with ground. Was having a discussion with another guy that was installing his disconnect with receptacle for the hvac unit at a dwelling. He thought he could use regular romex 12/3.. Its a technicality but romex is not rated for outside as his disco will be outside even though the feed is coming from underneath (crawl space) from the house and feeding the back of the disco.

Also the hvac condenser and receptacle shouldn't be sharing neutrals, even from a 'feeder' (NEC definition vs branch circuit) as this would defeat the purpose of of the receptacle if they needed to shut off the breaker for the diso, (shared neutrals must have common disconnect). Is there a code against this on feeder side?

Cant seem to find 12/4 uf as readily and cheap at the big box stores, do they make it often? What do you think of him wanting to share the neutrals on the 'feeder' side? I couldnt find a NEC code that forbade it, just that its not good practice.
 
brother said:
He thought he could use regular romex 12/3.. Its a technicality but romex is not rated for outside as his disco will be outside even though the feed is coming from underneath (crawl space) from the house and feeding the back of the disco.
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You can enter an exterior disconnect with NM cable that is run in a dry location. Is the crawl space in this installation not a dry location?
 
infinity said:
You can enter an exterior disconnect with NM cable that is run in a dry location. Is the crawl space in this installation not a dry location?
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yes the crawl space (under house) is a dry location. I always understood it as a 'technicality' , and I believe inspectors here are enforcing it that way as well. The wire connection from the romex is connecting in a wet location (outside in disconnect box) so the romex cannot do that. Is this enforced differently in your area?
 
brother said:
I believe inspectors here are enforcing it that way as well. The wire connection from the romex is connecting in a wet location (outside in disconnect box) so the romex cannot do that.
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The inside of the disconnect is a dry location. Running the cable in a dry location to the dry location inside of the disconnect is permitted. Otherwise every outdoor receptacle or light fixture run with NM cable to an FS box would be a violation.
 
brother said:
Its a technicality but romex is not rated for outside as his disco will be outside even though the feed is coming from underneath (crawl space) from the house and feeding the back of the disco.
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This is considered to be compliant.

brother said:
Also the hvac condenser and receptacle shouldn't be sharing neutrals, even from a 'feeder' (NEC definition vs branch circuit) as this would defeat the purpose of of the receptacle if they needed to shut off the breaker for the diso, (shared neutrals must have common disconnect).
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The condenser wouldn't have a neutral connection.
 
brother said:
Its 120v unit. Its for a mini split. so it has a neutral.
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so share the neutral and put it on a 2-pole breaker. you have to put a disconnect outside at the mini-split condenser anyhow. have that maintenance disconnect only disconnect the condenser 120v lead. the receptacle stays on.
 
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