Electrical – SER cable Through Crawl Space (encapsulated)

electrical

Situation:

  • I am moving my main electrical panel 200A to a utility room at back of the house.
  • Given this new distance, an outside disconnect will be installed, technically rendering the new indoor panel a sub-panel.
  • To reach it, I’ll be running 75’ of 4/0 SER cable so I have the separate grounding leg.
  • I’ll have 2” PVC conduit to sheath the SER where it runs out of the disconnect (MAIN) until it passes through concrete foundation.

QUESTION:

  • Can I run the 4/0 SER on a running board installed on the flat, attached to the underside of the joists? Clearance to the vapor barrier below ranges 13” to 18”.

Or

  • Can I attach the SER to the inside of the 2”x8” floor joists (which run in parallel with the SER path)?

Or

  • Should I install a running board on the vertical, parallel-to but below the joists, so that the SER can be seen from above?

Best Answer

I would simply run it attached to the side of the joist

I would simply attach your run to the side of the joist so that it's set back upwards of 1¼" from the joist edge (to avoid the need for a nailplate). Attaching it to the joist can be done with straps or staples designed for 4/0 SER cable (note that SEU cable staples/straps are not usable for SER cable as the two are shaped differently).