green.bubbly
Well-known member
I was looking online at Home Depot and saw they sold 2-2-2-4 aluminum service entrance wire. Assuming the "4" is the ground, why is it a larger gauge? Surely I am not understanding something...
Question about 2-2-2-4 al wire
- Thread starter green.bubbly
- Start date
RPH
Well-known member
The four is smaller than the two. Wire gauges are a weird scale, 12 gauge is bigger than a fourteen and a ten is bigger than a twelve. And so it goes until you hit the ought series 2/0, 4/0 the wire gets bigger until you hit the mcm series. Then the numbers make sense. Bigger number, bigger cable in the mcm series. Not sure who came up with the gages for wire and sheet metal but I would bet it’s an British holdover.
TractorJeff
Well-known member
Kind of like Shotguns!
My Daughter uses a 12ga for Sporting Clays because a 20ga is too big!
LOL!
My Daughter uses a 12ga for Sporting Clays because a 20ga is too big!
LOL!
OP
green.bubbly
Well-known member
RPH
Well-known member
You nailed that one.
“ In 1856, clockmakers Joseph R. Brown and apprentice-turned-partner Lucian Sharpe had begun to manufacture precision measuring tools in Pawtucket, R.I. One that was sorely needed was an accurate measuring gage for wire. (Readers will note that I prefer the spelling gage, commonly accepted in reference to wire, and accepted as a variant for gauge by the American Heritage Dictionary.)
Sharpe suggested producing sizes of wire in a regular geometric progression. Until that time, wire-measuring tools were made by English manufacturers and were, to say the least, variable in quality and accuracy. Sharpe took 50 of his new low-cost gages to a meeting of brass manufacturers of Connecticut, centered in the Naugatuck Valley. A gage consisted of a flat circular piece of steel with precision-machined slots corresponding to the different sizes of wire.
It was a big hit. Brown & Sharpe wire gages became the standard well into the 20th century. Eventually, Sharpe's progressive system became adopted as the AWG, or American Wire Gage, which we use today. “
“ In 1856, clockmakers Joseph R. Brown and apprentice-turned-partner Lucian Sharpe had begun to manufacture precision measuring tools in Pawtucket, R.I. One that was sorely needed was an accurate measuring gage for wire. (Readers will note that I prefer the spelling gage, commonly accepted in reference to wire, and accepted as a variant for gauge by the American Heritage Dictionary.)
Sharpe suggested producing sizes of wire in a regular geometric progression. Until that time, wire-measuring tools were made by English manufacturers and were, to say the least, variable in quality and accuracy. Sharpe took 50 of his new low-cost gages to a meeting of brass manufacturers of Connecticut, centered in the Naugatuck Valley. A gage consisted of a flat circular piece of steel with precision-machined slots corresponding to the different sizes of wire.
It was a big hit. Brown & Sharpe wire gages became the standard well into the 20th century. Eventually, Sharpe's progressive system became adopted as the AWG, or American Wire Gage, which we use today. “
dcg9381
Well-known member
Be aware - I found that it's cheaper to order this wire online than it is at HD... At least in lengths of 75' or more.
Other is that SER is typically (outdoor only) - probably can't be used to feed an interior panel... (Just in case you're thinking about doing it that way).
Other is that SER is typically (outdoor only) - probably can't be used to feed an interior panel... (Just in case you're thinking about doing it that way).
alfredeneuman
Well-known member
?????
SER is pemitted indoors as well as outside, but may not be used underground
The ground in the MHF is actually larger than it need be.
With the ampacity limited to 90A, it could be #6
Last edited:
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
dcg9381
Well-known member
I stand corrected.. MHF - outdoor.. Watch that indoor (insulation) rating.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
if youre saying MHF cant go inside, that is also incorrect.
dcg9381
Well-known member
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
Falcon67
Well-known member
Mostly but maybe not all of it. I showed mine to the AHJ and asked about inside conduit - "not required". Easy enough.
alfredeneuman
Well-known member
Because 1 small town building inspector said it's not required doesn't necessarily make it so.
pattenp
Well-known member
I'm not aware of any assembled wire that is listed as "Mobile Home Feeder" to not have multiple insulation ratings allowing it to be installed inside of a structure.
OptionalStop
Well-known member
My local electrical inspector advised me that my 2-2-2-4 MHF wire can be direct buried however must be in conduit outside of the ground, and inside structure.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
Loose conductors are not permitted to be installed inside walls without being in conduit.
MHF is made up of 4 loose conductors not having an overall jacket.
Your inspector is wrong.
Last edited:
Falcon67
Well-known member
Just saying what I was allowed, and he was a big city inspector. YMMV.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
How did you secure the exposed MHF conductors to the building?
Falcon67
Well-known member
They just run through the attic like every other cable in that space.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
Definite code violation then!!
Inspector needs to go back to school.
Inspector needs to go back to school.
How are they secured?
alfredeneuman
Well-known member
I question if they are secured 