Questions and Answers for Southwire 500 ft. 2-2-2-4 Gray Stranded AL SER Cable

A:  Please contact cabletechsupport@southwire.com for further assistance.

A:  Please contact cabletechsupport@southwire.com for further assistance.

A:  No, this is not good for 200 Amps, the maximum amps is 100.

A:  Antioxidant grease is recommended for ALL aluminum connections (at both the panel and breaker ends).

A:  Yes use antioxidant grease on ground also...use on all aluminum wire.

A:  You can but mainly use if living near beach water

A:  Although not a code requirement, it's a good practice to use antioxidant on all aluminum terminations.

A:  Just the neutral and two hots!!!

A:  SER cable cannot be installed underground in any manner; not direct buried and not in buried conduit. I would use 2-2-2-4 MHF which can be buried, but must be installed in conduit above grade.

A:  Just out of curiosity, you are gong to run a 50 amp sup panel to a building 200ft away. Is it a pump building or storage or multi-use building? I ask this because (I am no pro so take my words as just words, and not a professional opinion) I used this cable for an out building (12' x 16') and use it as a wood/craft shop. I ran all of my electrical in the building set-up with 10 -110v outlets and 2 - 220v outlets and lighting. I did this with high amp tools in mind and have a 125 amp sub-panel to cover all of this. I used this cable, buried in a 28" trench and grounding rods in two places 8 ft below the cable. I can say that I have had no issues with this cable and it has been two years since the work has been done. It is important to know what you are running the power for and why, will it suit your needs, and will you eventually build something else off of that panel. I am sure this is a job that you don't want to have to do twice.

A:  Not only is this cable too small for 200 amp service, but it cannot be installed below grade; not direct buried and not in buried conduit.

A:  No - it is too small and mobile home connections require the use of a green insulated equipment grounding conductor as part of the service. Mobile Home Feeder Cable is specially designed for this application. See below our options for Mobile Home Feeder Cable: MFG Model # 28714401 - 500 ft. 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0 Black Stranded AL MHF USE-2 Cable MFG Model # 28712801 - 500 ft. 2-2-2-4 Black Stranded AL MHF USE-2 Cable MFG Model # 28713601 - 500 ft. 2/0-2/0-2/0-1 Black Stranded AL MHF USE-2 Cable MFG Model # 30161401 - 500 ft. 4/0-4/0-2/0-4 Black Stranded AL MHF USE-2 Cable MFG Model # 30163001 - 500 ft. 2-2-4-6 Black Stranded AL MHF USE-2 Cable You can view the whole Aluminum Service Entry (USE-2) Cable Assortment below: https://www.homedepot.com/collection/Electrical/Southwire-Company-Aluminum-Service-Entry-USE-2-Cable-Assortment/Family-308668177?omsid=202316213 For a 200A service, you will need to use 4/0 AWG rather than 2 AWG. The above advice is based upon the current edition of the National Electric Code (NEC). Free access to the latest version of the NEC is available online at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess. The NEC and local building codes regulate the types of wire and cable that can be used in specific electrical applications, as well as the manner of installation. Check your local building codes before you start any wiring and cable electrical project and be sure to obtain required permits. When your work is complete, always have it inspected for compliance with local codes to ensure that it has been safely installed.

A:  Please reach to CableTechSupport@southwire.com for further assistance.

A:  definitely not, You need service entrance cable 4/0 aluminum, from the service head to the meter!

A:  No, it's way too small

A:  The cable you want is rated at 125 amps 240 volts for 350 feet you need to take in consideration of voltage drop of 3% gives you 114 amps. You need to use SER Aluminum wire 2/0, 2/0,2/0,2 or URD type direct burial 2/0, 2/0, 2/0, 2. The SER 2-2-2-4 will have a voltage drop of 3% over 350 feet will put you at only 85-90 amps service.

A:  SER cable is prohibited from being installed underground by the NEC, it can neither be direct buried or installed in buried conduit. You should be looking for 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0 MHF (Mobile Home Feeder). MHF can be direct buried, but must be installed in conduit above grade.

A:  You need about $5000 and a call to your nearest electrician. Good luck.

A:  SER Cable is rated for above ground installation only, so use USE-2 if installing underground. While 2/0 AWG AL USE-2 Cable can be used for a 100A circuit, 350' is long enough that voltage drop will be a major factor and you will need to use much larger conductors. Using our Voltage Drop Calculator (https://www.southwire.com/calculator-vdrop) gives the following results: Voltage Drop 2.75% Minimum Conductor Size 750 kcmil 1 conductor per phase utilizing a 750 kcmil Aluminum conductor installed Direct Buried will limit the voltage drop to 2.75% or less when supplying 100 amps for 350.0 feet on a 120 volt 1 phase system. You can use this calculator to find a solution by varying the voltage drop, voltage, number of parallels, etc.... 3% is the industry standard recommendation. We recommend using 120V for the calculation unless you know your loads will all be 240V. The above advice is based upon the current edition of the National Electric Code (NEC). Free access to the latest version of the NEC is available online at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess. The NEC and local building codes regulate the types of wire and cable that can be used in specific electrical applications, as well as the manner of installation. Check your local building codes before you start any wiring and cable electrical project and be sure to obtain required permits. When your work is complete, always have it inspected for compliance with local codes to ensure that it has been safely installed.

A:  Technically no. But I always do. I just feel better about making sure it’s there.

A:  Yes

A:  It's not really necessary. Won't hurt, but it's not necessary.

A:  Antioxidant compound is not a code requirement, but it is a good practice on aluminum wire terminations.

A:  The AL alloys in today’s conductor have a much lower coefficient of thermal expansion than in the 70’s and Noalox is no longer a requirement (unless you encounter the older aluminum conductors!).

A:  I always recommend No-Ox on Aluminum. Aluminum expands and contracts different amounts than other metals and dissimilar metals can cause oxidation.

A:  Personally, I think it's a good idea to run all electrical wire through conduit. Whether it's inside or outside. With that said, yes it could be. Provided of course that the conduit is large enough with a little extra wiggle room.

A:  THATS HOW I RAN MINE AND IT PASSED INSPECTION AND HAS BEEN WORKING FINE FOR OVER A YEAR NOW

A:  You can, but conduit really isn't necessary and only needed for additional protection. Just do not install it underground, that would be prohibited by the NEC.

A:  no way!!!

A:  No

A:  You won’t have any problem with a 125 amp panel served by that wire. If it is a problem for the city inspector, feed the sub with 100amp breaker at the main panel.

A:  2-2-2-4 is not rated for a 125-amp sub panel. The best and least costly option is mobile home feeder rated for 125 amp panel.

A:  For this to be legal you would need to replace it with a 90 Amp breaker

A:  I would replace it with a new breaker box. I put in a couple of double fifty breakers when I installed mine just to be on the safe side.

A:  Yes, change the breaker to 100 amps.

A:  If you have a 125 amp breaker you need 125 amp wire. You need to use the 75° column from the NEC Code since no one makes a 90° breaker just yet. Since this is a single phase dwelling service. You can use #2 AWG copper or 1/0 aluminum for a 125 amp service. Solution to change the 125 amp breaker to 100 amp breaker and you should be in compliance with NEC. The SER cable 2-2-2-4 is an aluminum Service Entrance and max amps is 100 amps.

A:  Southwire is the manufacturer, and their website shows it to have an ampacity of 100 amps. Change the breaker to 100 amps.

A:  You need to feed this cable and sub panel with a 90 Amp. circuit breaker!

A:  It's OK to go to a smaller breaker as long as it still adequate for the intended load.