Crossing a Main Service Wire

[gnidaer]

I need to run a Romex wire across the main service wire in the basement. Is this OK?

I'm not sure if it is called the main service wire, but it is the heavy-gauge wire that runs from the meter to the house circuit panel.

The wire currently runs parallel to the main, but I will put in an outlet junction, then feed the wire out the back and across the main. The cross will be right over top of the main wire, the only thing separating the two will be the insulation of both wires.

I know that LAN wire should not run parallel to electrical wire, but I don't know about another circuit crossing the main wire.

-Gnidaer

 

[mbatarga]

That is not an issue.

 

[joe_padavano]

I know that LAN wire should not run parallel to electrical wire, but I don't know about another circuit crossing the main wire.

-Gnidaer

LAN wires (or other wires that carry signals) shouldn't be parallel to AC power wires because they will pick up the 60Hz frequency by induction. Other power lines don't care about this - the are already at 60Hz. Note, that signal lines can CROSS power lines at 90 deg just fine, it's running in parallel over some distance that's a problem.

 

[matdaddy]

No this is not acceptable . No other conductors shall enter the service portion of the distribution panel other then a sub panel.

Having conductors adjacent in a sub panel is acceptable, but in a main service entrance is prohibited never mind across.

Theirs always a better way of doing things. You shouldn't be playing in the service entrance portion of the distribution. The fault protection is outside at pole. so if you win the lottery this week things wont be protected by the main breaker.

 

[Dustball]

No this is not acceptable . No other conductors shall enter the service portion of the distribution panel other then a sub panel.

Having conductors adjacent in a sub panel is acceptable, but in a main service entrance is prohibited never mind across.

Theirs always a better way of doing things. You shouldn't be playing in the service entrance portion of the distribution. The fault protection is outside at pole. so if you win the lottery this week things wont be protected by the main breaker.

He's not working in the panel.

It's ok to cross the cables.

 

[Falcon67]

LAN wires (or other wires that carry signals) shouldn't be parallel to AC power wires because they will pick up the 60Hz frequency by induction. Other power lines don't care about this - the are already at 60Hz. Note, that signal lines can CROSS power lines at 90 deg just fine, it's running in parallel over some distance that's a problem.

That's why they are twisted pair and shielded - they won't pick up or be affected by the 60 cycle in the power lines. The cabling is engineered to deal with the usual types or interference found in commercial and residential installations.

 

[fteufert]

The majority of CAT5 or CAT6 cable is not shielded in any way. A shield would need to be either foil type or braided wire.

That's why they are twisted pair and shielded - they won't pick up or be affected by the 60 cycle in the power lines. The cabling is engineered to deal with the usual types or interference found in commercial and residential installations.

 

[sands35]

120/240 power wires next to each other? Who cares? Unless you have a really noisy appliance or motor - but then something is probably wrong with it.

A/V equipment? Maybe back in the analog audio days it mattered, but not with digital interconnects. I'm skeptical of power conditioning equipment on digital AV stuff.

The twist in CAT x wire provides noise cancellation. Basically the noise is induced into both wires in the pair which then cancels out. It works fine for short exposures (what will be seen in a house for instance), but fails when really long distances are involved (why long distances use fiber optics). Unshielded twisted pairs are run for hundreds of feet in commercial installations when layed in common raceways without cross talk between signal wires (but still avoid power).

Running ethernet wires are OK next to power for a short length, but it should be avoided if possible.