XHHW-2 safe for conduit?

[American Locomotive]

Only having one neutral bar and one ground bar makes for a messy panel.

Why not buy 2 inexpensive ground bar kits(listed for the panels), install them one on each side, unbond the neutral bars, and move the grounding conductors and GEC from the right neutral bar over to the new ground bars.

Some people don't care about messy panels. Also some people don't enjoy buying something that the thing should have came with, especially for how much some panels cost.

 

[Norcal]

Some people don't care about messy panels. Also some people don't enjoy buying something that the thing should have came with, especially for how much some panels cost.

If someone does not care to do it properly they really have no business doing it at all.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Some people don't care about messy panels. Also some people don't enjoy buying something that the thing should have came with, especially for how much some panels cost.

They also dont care about making it a PITA for the next guy.

 

[njccmd2002]

Thanks for all the replies, its cool to see so many help out. I will get two ground bars and do it right.

Also, the electrician that came, stated the service cable gets to hot inside a conduit. He is the one that gave me quote of 1500 usd. And code will not allow it.

On another note, the red white and blue cables are individually labeled

XHHW-2 Xlpe copper 600 v. 3AWG...

The jacket is easy to strip

 

[American Locomotive]

Well looks like you just saved a bunch of money if those conductors are individually labeled.

 

[njccmd2002]

i just have to get the green /ground cable.

https://www.wireandcableyourway.com/6-awg-xhhw-building-wire.html

would it matter if not same brand?

Sorry if i do not seem up to par with all this, im no electrician. I work on my cars, and can learn fast...

Im up a lot of money in this garage, and would love to kept it low, from here.

btw also here are some pics of the pain it is to dig for conduit...

at 18 inches deep with a ditch witch, first time using one. it will get deeper, once i add 2 inches of topsil and sod......

all that dirt, used to be zosya that died because of the contractor leaving cement on grass, and dirt and debris, it has to be resodded

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Thanks for all the replies, its cool to see so many help out. I will get two ground bars and do it right.

Also, the electrician that came, stated the service cable gets to hot inside a conduit. He is the one that gave me quote of 1500 usd. And code will not allow it.

On another note, the red white and blue cables are individually labeled

XHHW-2 Xlpe copper 600 v. 3AWG...

The jacket is easy to strip

lol where do they come up with this stuff.

BTW your pics didnt load...

 

[njccmd2002]

should now

 

[FordTruckWench]

Well looks like you just saved a bunch of money if those conductors are individually labeled.

Without the jacket, you now have to make sure the conduit goes panel to panel - that it doesn't end in a wall stud cavity short of the panels. And before you pull wire, make sure to install bushings like these:

btw also here are some pics of the pain it is to dig for conduit...

Are those long sweep elbows, ... it's hard to tell.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

what is that lighter gray fitting between the sweep and vertical pipe?

 

[alfredeneuman]

Depending on the section that isn't shown, you may have exceeded the number of bends allowable between pulling points (boxes, condulets, etc).
It's 360 degrees total, including the arcing bends shown.

 

[rburke65]

Not that I’m the Ace Electrician here, but I have never heard that you could not used one of those bars for a ground bar. That neutral or that ground conductors will know no difference. Ya, ya, ya.....but code says....instructions say.... There is no difference.

 

[njccmd2002]

what is that lighter gray fitting between the sweep and vertical pipe?

its a cap, lol, the dark gray conduit is just on top, need to glue it. I dont want mice moving into a hotel...

there are a total of three 90 degree full elbows. Kinda hard to make a straight line in buidings that are not at same level and overlapping by 6 feet.

 

[Bert_]

at 18 inches deep with a ditch witch, first time using one. it will get deeper, once i add 2 inches of topsil and sod......

all that dirt, used to be zosya that died because of the contractor leaving cement on grass, and dirt and debris, it has to be resodded

Not that it matters for you but for anyone else doing this, look at the last picture with the 90* in the trench. Could have done a 45* or even a gentle curve and made wire pulling a lot easier. Doing it the way shown eats up your 360* of bend quickly.

 

[Norcal]

Even with four nineties it can be a ***** to pull wire even with a oversized conduit.

 

[njccmd2002]

Not that it matters for you but for anyone else doing this, look at the last picture with the 90* in the trench. Could have done a 45* or even a gentle curve and made wire pulling a lot easier. Doing it the way shown eats up your 360* of bend quickly.

I know, and i hate it, however did not want to get the ditchwitch near the brick, that is a slight slope there, and the soil was soft.

I have not buried the conduit yet, if it proves difficult, then i can attempt to redo it, if cables pass, then its a go....

For a first time handling a 36 trencher, i say im pleased. but i know its not perfect.... lol

And by they way.... if anyone wants to know, i was able to go under 7 feet of driveway by using a planting auger....

used a drill and several drill bit extensions. and perfect for a 2 inch pipe.

cheap, but labor intensive......

 

[njccmd2002]

thanks for all the help, almost passed inspection. But something simple. Conduit and cable are good. yay....

Requested an Arc fault breaker for the lights, and a ground fault control breaker for the 240 volt breaker. Simple fix, but expensive

 

[pattenp]

thanks for all the help, almost passed inspection. But something simple. Conduit and cable are good. yay....

Requested an Arc fault breaker for the lights, and a ground fault control breaker for the 240 volt breaker. Simple fix, but expensive

What???? That's not right.

 

[teamextreme]

Arc fault is not required in a detached garage and unless that 240v breaker is feeding a hot tub it's not required to be GFCI either. Unless your municipality has additional rules beyond NEC, these are not required.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

thanks for all the help, almost passed inspection. But something simple. Conduit and cable are good. yay....

Requested an Arc fault breaker for the lights, and a ground fault control breaker for the 240 volt breaker. Simple fix, but expensive

Ask your inspector if they have a local written amendment for those requirements. If they don't, then the inspector is making up his own rules because the NEC does not require any of that.

 

[njccmd2002]

well, too late, i guess, ive already ordered the breakers. good sweet deal online.. But i kinda thought it was funny. although my city is very picky and has some weird rules. Ill ask, but i rather not get into an argument with the city or him. lol...

I can use the other breakers on additional stuff down the road, but thanks for the guidance...

 

[Treasure]

SER is not permitted underground because the insulation on the conductors are not rated for wet locations. Stripping the outer gray jacket will not change this.

If the individual conductors inside are rated for and stamped XHHW, what's the problem?

 

[Terry D]

If the individual conductors inside are rated for and stamped XHHW, what's the problem?

SER is a cable assembly. The only rating is on the outer jacket, not the individual conductors. SER is not permited underground. Plus this is a 3 year old thread

 

[Treasure]

SER is a cable assembly. The only rating is on the outer jacket, not the individual conductors. SER is not permited underground. Plus this is a 3 year old thread

The individual conductors have their own rating. Southwire's SER cable is comprised of individually rated and stamped XHHW conductors.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

If the individual conductors inside are rated for and stamped XHHW, what's the problem?

The individual conductors have their own rating. Southwire's SER cable is comprised of individually rated and stamped XHHW conductors.

when i made that comment i stated the wrong thing and have since changed it. the problem with using SER underground is the bare ground conductor.

 

[pattenp]

The problem is the NEC doesn't approve the use of SE cable underground.