JesseWBryant Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Inspected a 2005 home today that had Stabiloy #2/0 awg SEC (underground) with a 200amp main disconnect breaker. I checked all the Stabiloy documentation and it appears to me that this size cable is only rated for 150 amps. Is there some type of allowance with this brand of cable? I remember reading something that said "in some cases" the Stabiloy cable could have the same ampacity rating as copper SEC's of the same size. Would you guys write this up as being to small? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Originally posted by JesseWBryant Inspected a 2005 home today that had Stabiloy #2/0 awg SEC (underground) with a 200amp main disconnect breaker. I checked all the Stabiloy documentation and it appears to me that this size cable is only rated for 150 amps. Is there some type of allowance with this brand of cable? I remember reading something that said "in some cases" the Stabiloy cable could have the same ampacity rating as copper SEC's of the same size. Not quite. What you probably heard is that compact strand aluminum conductors can be run in the same size raceway as copper conductors of the same ampacity. Compact strand aluminum is a clever way of making the same "size" conductor "smaller." The conductors are literally squished until the aluminum strands deform and fill the spaces between them. Would you guys write this up as being to small? Yep. Unless, of course, there were a 150-amp breaker at the other end of the cable?? - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseWBryant Posted May 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Nope, there was another 200amp breaker just below the meter at the street. Thanks for the response. I'm sure this will be become a hassle so I just wanted to make sure I got it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Originally posted by JesseWBryant Nope, there was another 200amp breaker just below the meter at the street. Thanks for the response. I'm sure this will be become a hassle so I just wanted to make sure I got it right. To lessen the hassle, tell folks that you'd be happy to revise your opinion if someone can provide you with a credible reference. Tell them up front that an oral statement such as, "I has always done it this way" doesn't qualify as credible documentation. - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Kubs Posted May 25, 2007 Report Share Posted May 25, 2007 Is that Cuttler-Hammer guts thrown into somebody elses enclosure? 2/0 Alum. on 200amp. no good - Apparently somebody was looking at Copper ratings... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAbernathy Posted May 25, 2007 Report Share Posted May 25, 2007 I agree....2/0 AL is only rated for a 150A Service if it is the primary service panel.....now if you are stating their is a 200A main somewhere else feeding this panel...and their are other utilities coming into the dwelling from that same location then they have other problems.....but alas I wont go into detail...but 2/0 AL is not for a 200A service.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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