subpanel feed question

[dlc]

I'm working on electrical today and have a question for the experts. Look at the picture below and tell me if it will pass inspection. Does all the electrical cable feeding the box in the wall have to be in conduit? If so, what should I do differently?

 

[pattenp]

You may have another issue if that feeder is pulled in through a crawl space without being in conduit. How is the feeder run? Where from and how?

 

[dlc]

You may have another issue if that feeder is pulled in through a crawl space without being in conduit. How is the feeder run? Where from and how?

It comes up through the block in conduit from the outside.

 

[pattenp]

Even if you close up the wall I believe the type of feeder you used needs to be in conduit. The only way to get around it would be to transition to SER type cable but that's not a easy solution. The best thing to do is take care of that gap with conduit.

 

[dlc]

The cable is underground rated 100 amp quad. Okay, that answers my question. So if it has to be in conduit, I guess I need to pick up a couple of 90s or a LB so that the pvc will meet up with the pvc coming up through the block. Thanks for the help.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

If that is direct burial cable (aka "mobile home feeder") then it can be direct buried, but as soon as it enters the building (slab, block, walls, whatever) it needs to be in properly installed conduit.

Is there conduit directly under that bottom plate? If there is, you need to chisel out enough wood to expose it and properly glue/join wide sweep elbows, etc to make the transition to the section going into the panelboard.

Make the bends in the panel as tight a radius as allowed for that size cable and get that cable as far out to the sides and bottom of the box as possible, otherwise they will be in the way of running your wires to the breakers.

Did you set the front of the panel out from the studs enough that it will be flush when you install the sheetrock/OSB/whatever wall cover you are using?

Charles

 

[pattenp]

On a side note. If the feeder you have is #2 AL Mobile Home Feeder then you can't breaker it at the full 100A. From other post on GJ the max has be stated as 90A. I thought code stated to use the 60C column on table 310.15(b) which would be 75A for #2 AL feeders. This is something you may want to check on with your inspection dept.

 

[dlc]

If that is direct burial cable (aka "mobile home feeder") then it can be direct buried, but as soon as it enters the building (slab, block, walls, whatever) it needs to be in properly installed conduit.

Yes, direct burial

Is there conduit directly under that bottom plate?

Yes

Did you set the front of the panel out from the studs enough that it will be flush when you install the sheetrock/OSB/whatever wall cover you are using?

Yes

Charles

Thanks for the info.