Warning ribbon installation

N

nizak

Senior Member
Is warning tape placed 12” above the buried conductors only required for Service conductors ?

I have a feeder that goes from a garage to a house.It supplies the house power.
Inspector is requiring the ribbon tape be installed.

I don’t have a problem doing it and it does add protection if anyone digs on the property without having marking done.

I just don’t think it’s a requirement per the code.
Am I correct?
 
infinity said:
Unless something has recently changed it is not required for a feeder.
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Why is that? Is the thinking that a feeder is less likely to get dug into? Or that it is more likely to have a fault cleared by an ocpd?

It seems logically to me to require it for all underground services, given how cheap it is.

Hard to do with bored lines though. Does this requirement effectively ban boring for service lines or is there an exemption for bored lines. Or does it only apply to UG cables and not conductors in a tube.
 
Also this only applies to direct buried servcie conductors not raceways.
300.5(D)(3) Service Conductors.
Underground service conductors that are not encased in concrete and that are buried 450 mm (18 in.) or more below grade shall have their location identified by a warning ribbon that is placed in the trench at least 300 mm (12 in.) above the underground installation.
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petersonra said:
Why is that? Is the thinking that a feeder is less likely to get dug into? Or that it is more likely to have a fault cleared by an ocpd?

It seems logically to me to require it for all underground services, given how cheap it is.

Hard to do with bored lines though. Does this requirement effectively ban boring for service lines or is there an exemption for bored lines. Or does it only apply to UG cables and not conductors in a tube.
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Exactly as the service conductors are only protected by the utility transformer primary OCPD which is typically only sized to prevent a fault on the load side from taking out the upstream distribution circuit OCPD. It is not sized to open on a secondary conductor fault.
A public input to require the warning tape for feeders and branch circuits was rejected with the following panel statement.
Feeders and branch circuits have overcurrent protection ahead of them whereas service conductors do not (they may have limited overcurrent protection provided by the utility company). Though it is not required, it is permitted to install warning ribbon above feeders and branch circuits.
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A directional boring installation was not considered to be "directly buried" but the language change in the 2023 code removed "directly buried" from the parent text of the first level subdivision. The removal of the words "directly buried" was intended to make the section apply to both cables and conductors in a buried raceway. However the change leaves open the interpretation that the warning ribbon is required for service conductors that have been installed by directional boring. That change also did not really make it clear that the rule applied to service conductors in a raceway and an accepted first revision changed the title of the second level subdivision from "service conductors" to "service conductors and raceways".
 
Would feeders be exempt because it’s assumed there’s protection ( circuit breaker/ fuses) and not just the utility fusing ?
 
nizak said:
Is warning tape placed 12” above the buried conductors only required for Service conductors ?

I have a feeder that goes from a garage to a house.It supplies the house power.
Inspector is requiring the ribbon tape be installed.

I don’t have a problem doing it and it does add protection if anyone digs on the property without having marking done.

I just don’t think it’s a requirement per the code.
Am I correct?
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Correct and inspector should provide code reference
 
nizak said:
Would feeders be exempt because it’s assumed there’s protection ( circuit breaker/ fuses) and not just the utility fusing ?
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Could be, same reasoning would apply to branch circuits also not requiring the ribbon.
 
infinity said:
Also this only applies to direct buried servcie conductors not raceways.
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I have to diagree with your statement here. 300.5 does mention direct buried conductors by name numerous times in this section. 300.5 (D)(3) Service Conductors does not mention direct buried by name and therefore In my opinion the warning ribbon is required for any buried service conductors.
 
In my experience the warning ribbon slows down backfill. And I have seen excavators take out the ribbon and conduit in one scoop.
But code is code.
Far better than a ribbon is to bed conduit in clean sand. Dig til you find the sand.
 
eagleelec said:
I have to diagree with your statement here. 300.5 does mention direct buried conductors by name numerous times in this section. 300.5 (D)(3) Service Conductors does not mention direct buried by name and therefore In my opinion the warning ribbon is required for any buried service conductors.
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Incorrect, you need to look at the parent section which is (D):

(D) Protection from Damage. Direct-buried conductors and cables shall be protected from damage in accordance with 300.5(D)(1) through (D)(4).
 
eagleelec said:
I have to diagree with your statement here. 300.5 does mention direct buried conductors by name numerous times in this section. 300.5 (D)(3) Service Conductors does not mention direct buried by name and therefore In my opinion the warning ribbon is required for any buried service conductors.
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The intent of the language change in 2023 was to include service conductors in raceways, but the language in the section stops short of actually doing that...There is a first revision for the 2026 that will add the word "raceways" to the rule.
 
electrofelon said:
Incorrect, you need to look at the parent section which is (D):

(D) Protection from Damage. Direct-buried conductors and cables shall be protected from damage in accordance with 300.5(D)(1) through (D)(4).
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That was changed in the 2023 in an attempt to include service conductors in raceways, but the 2023 language fell short of actually doing that.
(D) Protection from Damage.
Conductors and cables shall be protected from damage in accordance with 300.5(D)(1) through (D)(4).
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eagleelec said:
I have to diagree with your statement here. 300.5 does mention direct buried conductors by name numerous times in this section. 300.5 (D)(3) Service Conductors does not mention direct buried by name and therefore In my opinion the warning ribbon is required for any buried service conductors.
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electrofelon said:
Incorrect, you need to look at the parent section which is (D):

(D) Protection from Damage. Direct-buried conductors and cables shall be protected from damage in accordance with 300.5(D)(1) through (D)(4).
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As electrofelon stated the parent section is (D) which does not include raceways. For underground service raceways is is possible that the POCO may have additional requirements.
 
infinity said:
As electrofelon stated the parent section is (D) which does not include raceways. For underground service raceways is is possible that the POCO may have additional requirements.
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Our POCOs all require the ribbon, raceway or direct buried. Some stay until the trench is half filled, then put the ribbon in themselves, others just have us put it in. Well, if they know our work they do.
 
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