I am in the process of finishing a load center installation upgraded to 200amps. From the weather head above is a straight shot through a conduit with 200 amps SE cable (there is no meter as of now though) which then enters the meter socket box and connect to its lug. The short 200 amps SE cable (to which the neutral is the outer jacket of the cable) can not follow the contour of the exterior wall due to its rigidity, as shown below:
It seems that NEC 338.10 (B)(4) requires that when SE cable is installed as interior wiring it has to comply with the requirements of Part II of NEC Articles 334, except for Section 334.80. But mine is not an interior wire situation.
It was fairly easy mold the contour of a 100amps cable to the path alongside the wall, but for a 200amps it is close to impossible to do so, and parts of the cable are sort of hanging in the air. I was wondering that the setup is acceptable or ok as far as code is concerned
Pictured added to showcase other side where cable enters the interior right in the back of the load center.
Best Answer
Handsome marine plywood cabinet
built to keep the telephone splicebox out of the weather. It is on the same wall as the meter, and its bottom is just above the point where the SE cable enters the building. The diagonal run of SE cable is fastened to its bottom. Good thing that cabinet was there, otherwise the SE cable would be dangling in space!
The conduit method
You come through the wall with the minimum size conduit able to handle your wires. Then you have an upsize fitting up to 3" conduit at least, so pulling is easier. Picture a clock projected on the slat wall where the hole is. You can't go out toward 9:00 because a 3" conduit body won't fit. So you go out at 11:00. Where are you aiming for? Note the unused knockout on the left side bottom of the meter housing. There's one on the other side. Imagine a conduit going straight out from that toward the wall. You can try a 90 bend, or just use another conduit body where they meet.
Don't wrestle that SE cable, now that you're in conduit, go back to the store and get some THWN-2. Stay with Al if you can, but if you feel you just can't bend it, then go Cu. Install one wire at a time, so the workload is easier. That's why the conduit is oversize!
You'll need to either lower the phone PNI, or add some spacers for it to sit on, as the conduit will go right through its space.