URD direct burial to from house to outbuilding

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Greg1707

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Location
Alexandria, VA
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Business owner Electrical contractor
I happened upon this installation. URD with a separate THHW conductor are direct buried in a trench to an outbuilding with a main panel inside the structure. Is this the best option? Is there a USE cable with four conductors available for this situation?
 

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The THWN is fine if that is conduit all the way, but not for DB as you've indicated. I've buried a separate USE bundled up with the triplex on occasion

Yes, they make a 4 wire version of what you have but you may need to remark the cable to indicate the EG and Neutral.
 
Note: URD is not an approved NEC wiring method but your picture indicates at least one of the conductors is USE-2 which is approved for direct burial and for use in a conduit.
 
ptonsparky said:
That is a common cabling and marking for the triplex he has pictured. The THWN is the oddball.
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agreed.. I just noticed he referenced it as "URD" and wated to make sure he realized it also had an acceptable rating
 
Since the EGC can (in most cases) be bare copper and still be direct buried, I have no issue with using copper THWN for the EGC here.

I know some will probably disagree.

If that green conductor is aluminum, I say it needs direct burial rated insulation.
 
kwired said:
Since the EGC can (in most cases) be bare copper and still be direct buried, I have no issue with using copper THWN for the EGC here.
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I agree.

If a GEC can be bare, I don't know why an EGC can't be buried THWN.

4 wire mobile home feeder may have been a simpler choice for this installation, but I don't know the circumstances.
 
Cow said:
4 wire mobile home feeder may have been a simpler choice for this installation, but I don't know the circumstances.
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Around here, SH's did not stock 4/wire until 15-20 years ago (because "nobody bought it", self-fulfilling statement), so I have seen and done similar installations
 
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