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#35642 03/18/04 11:33 AM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 7
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Junior Member
The other day I came across some NM-B cable, 8-3 w/g, which had wires which all had black insulation and were numbered one, two and three.

Is what struck me as odd, was that the insulation on all the wires was black, no white/gray for the neutral and bare/green for the grounding wire.

While I could not manipulate the wire enough to read the words NM-B, I could read the words 8-3 w/g and the outer coverings were consistent with sheathed cable.

Has anyone ever seen this before, or know anything about the source of the wire?

Thanks,

Joe Myers


Joe Myers
A & N Inspections, Inc.
Phoenixville, PA 19460
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,148
R
Member
Sounds like you have some "tray cable" to me.
Don


Don(resqcapt19)
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 73
C
Member
Found this for you thought you be interested!
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/electrical-wiring/part2/section-5.html

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,527
B
Moderator
I think it may be tray cable, too.
http://www.houwire.com/catalog/technical/color_code.asp
ICEA/NEMA Method 4 – A neutral- or single-colored insulation compound is surface ink printed with conductor number to provide positive conductor identification through 21 conductors.

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,527
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Moderator
Aside — 99 NEC 200-6(e) and 250-119(c) seem to correspond with the multiconductor-cable “no white or green” individual-conductor coding to be field-reidentified as grounded and grounding conductors… with the usual disclaimer ”where conditions of maintenance and supervision ensure that only qualified persons will service…”

Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 7
A
Junior Member
Thank you everyone, I appreciate the help. I have never run across any tray cable before, so it looks like that may be my answer.

Has anyone ever seen or heard of this stuff in a number 8 stranded?

Second question. Is the sheathing on tray cable like that of NM-B cable?

Joe Myers


Joe Myers
A & N Inspections, Inc.
Phoenixville, PA 19460
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,148
R
Member
Joe,
Tray cable comes in all sizes from #18 or smaller to 500kcmil and larger. It can have 2 to more than 50 conductors. It comes with or without grounding conductors. Some is color coded and other is numbered on all black conductors. Most of it that I have seen has a black outer jacket and a very close resemblance to NM.
Don

[This message has been edited by resqcapt19 (edited 03-18-2004).]


Don(resqcapt19)
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,527
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Moderator
Type TC typicals.. http://www.houwire.com/catalog/products.asp?catid=45 http://www.houwire.com/catalog/products.asp?catid=46
N.B.: “Color Code: Power Sizes: ICEA Method 4”

[One rare occasions, TC may be found 'fished' into walls.]

Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 7
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Junior Member
Don,

Thanks for the reply. I have never seem cable tray before, so this is a new one on me. Is this stuff pretty common? Meaning, do you use it, or see it a lot?

BJarney,

Thanks for the links. I had read previously after it was suggested this maybe tray cable, that this stuff is suitable for direct buriel, now I am sure that it is. That would make good sense since this was servicing a sub panel in a detached garage and I could not verify it was running in conduit to the garage.

Thanks,

Joe Myers


Joe Myers
A & N Inspections, Inc.
Phoenixville, PA 19460
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,148
R
Member
Joe,
It is a very common industrial wiring method.
Don


Don(resqcapt19)
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