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SEC entering the home as separate conductors
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Rochester, New York
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[#1] Posted: 07/15/2011 - 06:39:56 AM		Reply with Quote
On yesterday's inspection the service entrance conductors entered the home as separate conductors (2-hots & uninsulated service neutral) up through the floor, and then up about 4' into the base of the service panel. There were a few wire ties installed to keep these 3-conductors bundled together.

How should I best call this out? (both clear reporting language & code references are welcome)

Thanks.
Dave Tontarski
Chestertown, MD
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SEC entering the home as separate conductors
 [#2] Posted: 07/15/2011 - 07:59:07 AM		Reply with Quote
Individual conductors need to be run in a conduit or raceway. From your description someone has improperly used what used to be a cable assembly that is no longer a cable.

Write it up.
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Lafayette, Louisiana
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SEC entering the home as separate conductors
 [#3] Posted: 07/15/2011 - 09:17:48 AM		Reply with Quote
From the 06' IRC:
Quote: E3701.2 Allowable wiring methods. The allowable wiring methods for electrical installations shall be those listed in Table E3701.2. Single conductors shall be used only where part of one of the recognized wiring methods listed in Table E3701.2. As used in this code, abbreviations of the wiring-method types shall be as indicated in Table E3701.2.

TABLE E3701.2
ALLOWABLE WIRING METHODS
Armored cable AC
Electrical metallic tubing EMT
Electrical nonmetallic tubing ENT
Flexible metal conduit FMC
Intermediate metal conduit IMC
Liquidtight flexible conduit LFC
Metal-clad cable MC
Nonmetallic sheathed cable NM
Rigid nonmetallic conduit RNC
Rigid metallic conduit RMC
Service entrance cable SE
Surface raceways SR
Underground feeder cable UF
Underground service cable USE

E3701.3 Circuit conductors. All conductors of a circuit, including equipment grounding conductors and bonding conductors, shall be contained in the same raceway, trench, cable or cord.


" The electrical conductors that bring power to the main breaker are unprotected. They should be either sheathed together or enclosed within conduit."

" An electrician should either replace the service entrance conductors with an approved cable or enclose the existing individual conductors within a single conduit."

Marc
"If Guam gets too overpopulated, it might tip over."
Congressman Hank Johnson (D) GA
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Rochester, New York
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SEC entering the home as separate conductors
 [#4] Posted: 07/15/2011 - 09:24:21 AM		Reply with Quote
Thanks....this was exactly what I was looking for.
Dave Tontarski
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Lafayette, Louisiana
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SEC entering the home as separate conductors
 [#5] Posted: 07/15/2011 - 09:37:12 AM		Reply with Quote
It seems that you and I were attending RIT at the same time.

Gleason College of Engineering, 80' to 86', BSEE.

Marc
"If Guam gets too overpopulated, it might tip over."
Congressman Hank Johnson (D) GA
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Rochester, New York
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SEC entering the home as separate conductors
 [#6] Posted: 07/15/2011 - 1:18:18 PM		Reply with Quote
Marc -

You may have crossed paths from one of my best friends with the same major as you that was there at about the same time. Did you know Kris Walker?

Thanks again for you input.

Dave
Dave Tontarski
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Lafayette, Louisiana
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SEC entering the home as separate conductors
 [#7] Posted: 07/15/2011 - 1:32:39 PM		Reply with Quote
Quote: Originally posted by dtontarski

Marc -

You may have crossed paths from one of my best friends with the same major as you that was there at about the same time. Did you know Kris Walker?

Thanks again for you input.

Dave


Faces I know, names I don't, because back then I never heard them.

I don't recognize you from the photo on your website but then people can change a lot in 30 years.

Brick City was a wonderful place to learn, and party.

Marc
"If Guam gets too overpopulated, it might tip over."
Congressman Hank Johnson (D) GA
   
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