FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum

Question about SE cable – lengthy

mwgaines | Posted in Construction Techniques on June 13, 2007 04:40am

Installed meter base on exterior wall (200A underground). Installed 200A service panel on interior wall directly behind meter base, but slightly higher since ground level and floor level differ (crawlspace foundation). Two questions for you guys:

1. Went to Lowes and requested cabling for this particular utility company. The guy in the electrical dept (seemed to be knowledgable) sold me SER 4-conductor 4/0 aluminum. The meter base has no provision for a fourth conductor other than the bare copper for the grounding elctrode. I’m thinking a 3-conductor 2/0 copper would have been the preferable choice, and it meets the utility requirements. Should I take the SER cable back and swap it?

2. Since the meter base and SEP are not directly back-to-back, I’ll have to route the service entrance conductors vertically up through the CENTER of the stud bay about 20 inches. While I know that most cables don’t have to be “protected” within a stud bay, I’m not sure about service conductors. The IRC2003 states the following, which seems contradictory to me:

E3505.5 Protection of service cables against damage. Above-ground service-entrance cables, where subject to physical damage (like a misplaced nail through the drywall perhaps?), shall be protected by one or more of the following: rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, rigid non-metallic conduit suitable for the location, electrical metallic tubing or other approved means.

then there’s this…

E3702.2.2 Cable installed through or parallel to framing. Where cables are installed through or parallel to the sides of rafters, studs or floor joists, guard strips and running boards shall not be required…

Can you guys help me make sense of this?

Thanks.

New knowledge is priceless. 

Used knowledge is even more valuable.

Reply
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Replies

  1. edlee | Jun 13, 2007 05:47am | #1

    The Lowe's guy is wrong.  3-conductor is what you use upstream of the service disconnect.

    I don't know what IRC2003 is, but the text looks similiar to the National Electric Code.

    You don't need to treat the SE cable in the wall any differently than other wiring. 

    Service cables are generally installed out of doors and often exposed,  and it's pretty clear this is the main concern of the first section you quote.

    The second quote is for wiring inside a building, which is not the same thing.

     

    Ed

    1. mwgaines | Jun 13, 2007 05:52am | #2

      Thanks, Ed. The IRC2003 refers to the International Residential Builders Code. That's what the local BI uses for enforcement.New knowledge is priceless. 

      Used knowledge is even more valuable.

  2. jimbotoo | Jun 13, 2007 09:10am | #3

    Our electrical utility and city inspectors would demand the use of continuous conduit for any service entrance from the weatherhead to the breaker panel. Better ask them before making expensive decisions not to use conduit.

    BTW, your underground wire is in conduit, isn't it?

    I'm also curious - Did the utility pay for the wire from their pole to the meter on the back of the house? Ours (in areas with overhead lines) will require meter to be placed on owner-supplied pole in alley and require owner to pay for buried line to the house.



    Edited 6/13/2007 2:14 am ET by jimbotoo

    1. mwgaines | Jun 13, 2007 02:22pm | #4

      "Our electrical utility and city inspectors would demand the use of continuous conduit for any service entrance from the weatherhead to the breaker panel."

      That's the only thing that makes "safe" sense to me. I'm thinking that every wire in a stud bay should either be protected by an overload device or placed in conduit. But as you can see from my original post, the code is not crystal clear about it. I'd rather err on the side of safety, so I'm going to make sure it's protected one way or another.  

      "BTW, your underground wire is in conduit, isn't it?"

      It will be. Hasn't been installed yet.

      "I'm also curious - Did the utility pay for the wire from their pole to the meter on the back of the house?"

      The utility charges a $350 fee to trench and lay the cable from their pole to my meter base. That includes conduit and wire.New knowledge is priceless. 

      Used knowledge is even more valuable.

    2. r | Jun 13, 2007 03:17pm | #5

      "Our electrical utility and city inspectors would demand the use of continuous conduit for any service entrance from the weatherhead to the breaker panel."

      Wow.  So no houses have SE cable running on the outside of the house down from the weatherhead ?  I've seen that everywhere I've lived.

      1. edlee | Jun 14, 2007 05:02am | #7

        I lived in San Francisco for a while........everything service-related in pipe.  RIGID STEEL pipe, no pvc allowed.  It was a big day in an electric shop when they could afford to buy a hydraulic pipe bender.

        Frank has it right : that is not the norm. No worries about it unless you live in one of those areas.

        BTW, for the OP, wire inside finished walls is considered to be protected from physical damage. Only caveat is that is cannot be fastened within 3/4"  of the face of structural framing.  For an unfused SE cable though I like that idea of the 2 X 4 to keep it further back from the drywall.

        Ed

  3. FrankDuVal | Jun 13, 2007 03:34pm | #6

    Short run of SE cable in stud bay does not need nail protection here in the situation you describe. I have been asked to nail a 2x4 or such across the stud bay to clamp the SE cable to when there has been more than a foot or so run below the service panel. This also helps locate the SE cable about 1 1/4" from the drywall for nail damage.

    However, on the outside of the building, below the meter base, I have to protect the SE cable IF the meter is on a sidewalk or other concrete surface. Grass does not need protected SE, just a hard walking surface. Typically I have done this with PVC conduit in the normal manner*, but have also used 2" PVC conduit split up the back side when a sidewalk was close enough for the inspector to count, but there was grass below the meter..... and I didn't want to remove the SE to rewire in conduit.

    Some jurisdictions require conduit for everything. They are not the norm so do not worry about them. Unless you move there!

    *Normal manner meaning just conduit on the SE up to the wall, terminating in an LB, not through the wall, and no conduit inside the wall.

    Frank DuVal

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Video Shorts

Categories

  • Business
  • Code Questions
  • Construction Techniques
  • Energy, Heating & Insulation
  • General Discussion
  • Help/Work Wanted
  • Photo Gallery
  • Reader Classified
  • Tools for Home Building

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

Podcast Episode 693: Old-House Hazards, Building Larsen Trusses, AI in Construction

The crew talks about work start times, fire-resistant construction, fixer-uppers, building Larsen trusses, and AI for construction.

Featured Video

Video: Build a Fireplace, Brick by Brick

Watch mason Mike Mehaffey construct a traditional-style fireplace that burns well and meets current building codes.

Related Stories

  • A Practical Perfect Wall
  • Smarter Stop Block
  • Square Walls Solo
  • Deck-Board Pry Bar

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 332 - July 2025
    • Custom Built-ins With Job-Site Tools
    • Fight House Fires Through Design
    • Making the Move to Multifamily
  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work
  • Issue 328 - Dec/Jan 2025
    • How a Pro Replaces Columns
    • Passive House 3.0
    • Tool Test: Compact Line Lasers

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

Enjoy unlimited access to Fine Homebuilding. Join Now

Already a member? Log in

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data