Tom,

Other than the possibility of water entering the cable and getting
down to the meter box or main panel, I don't see anything dangerous
about the wear in the outer cover as shown in the photos. The cable
is high above the ground level and nowhere near any possible weed
whacker action.

If the inner cable insulators are still in good shape, you're probably OK
for the occasional contact with the cable. Still, I would be worried
about someone leaning a metal ladder against the cable, or accidentally
cutting the wire when scraping the walls for repainting. Sounds dumb, I
know, but people do all kinds of odd things and accidents happen.

This type of cable is used everywhere in my area with no rigid conduit.
That is the norm here and is in compliance with all codes.

Codes are generally the bare "minimum" required for safety. That doesn't
always mean it is the best way to handle it. Even though it may meet code
and be common in your area, the fact your cable has deteriorated like
that is a huge warning flag to me, code or not.

other than that, no rigid conduit is required or used in this area.

All things considered, conduit is cheap. I don't see any reason NOT to
use it in an exposed location like that, and plenty of reasons why you
should. But, enough preaching, I know it wouldn't be a simple or
inexpensive task at this point to update everything.

Quick fix, remove as much of the cracking insulation as you can (to avoid
puncturing any new repairs), then wrap it well with electrical tape. I
know they make heat shrinkable tape, but I have no idea who carries it
these days. You would also need a heat gun for that.

If I were going the quick fix route, I would pick up some conduit and cut
it in half lengthwise. Then I would install it as a protective cover over
your existing cable. It would provide additional physical protection, and
block sunlight from further deteriorating the cable. It would block rain
to some degree too, but would allow drainage at the bottom if needed.

Good luck with your project!

Anthony Watson
www.mountainsoftware.com
www.watsondiy.com

On Tue, 24 Mar 2015 12:39:48 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

I think most of us thought the insulation problem was at the "head" where the wires go into a vertical pipe and/or make a sharp bend and the insulation usually deteriorates there first.

Why would you consider or think that?

He said he had not been there to see, at first.

On Tue, 24 Mar 2015 14:57:09 +0000 (UTC), HerHusband
wrote:

Hi Tom,

A friend of mine bought a house and one of the things that the home
inspector noted was some wear or damage to the insulation on the
service entrance cable on the outside of the house that runs down
to the meter.

If the only issue is some minor cracking or wear in the service
entrance cable insulation, is there a way to just repair the
insulation? ...

Here are the photos of the two damaged areas on the Service Entrance
Cable:
http://tinypic.com/r/t7jpd5/8
http://tinypic.com/r/wr10eg/8

Just looking at those two photos, it looks like the outer insulation has
deteriorated due to sun exposure. There's no way to tell if the interior
cables have deteriorated also.

In any case, what you have now seems dangerous. You have no physical
protection from weed whackers, mowers, or a stray kid whacking at the house
with something sharp. That exposed cable should really be run inside a
rigid conduit, such as grey PVC.

No matter what tape or other patch you apply to the cable, it's still
vulnerable to physical damage.

The best, and safest, option is to install rigid conduit and replace that
damaged cable.

Do it once. Do it right.

Anthony Watson
www.watsondiy.com
www.mountainsoftware.com
+1 (at least)

On Tue, 24 Mar 2015 15:49:37 -0400, "TomR" wrote:


enough protection unless something hits the cable and knocks the
I'd get a couple lengths of Cantex split conduit if it can be
sourced locally at a decent price and be done with it. - or even some
Tyton or equivalent split corrugated loom.

On Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at 8:04:27 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Tue, 24 Mar 2015 15:49:37 -0400, "TomR" wrote:


enough protection unless something hits the cable and knocks the
I'd get a couple lengths of Cantex split conduit if it can be
sourced locally at a decent price and be done with it. - or even some
Tyton or equivalent split corrugated loom.

all of this leads to my questions. what the main breakers amp rating? or is it still a fuse box?

for that wire to detoriate this bad its likely time it all be replaced.

A friend of mine bought a house and one of the things that the home
inspector noted was some wear or damage to the insulation on the
service entrance cable on the outside of the house that runs down
to the meter. . . . ,

..., my question is..., If the only issue is some minor cracking or
wear in the service entrance cable insulation, is there a way to
just repair the insulation? ...
is there some type of insulation repair product that can be applied
that is made for this type of situation -- possibly gray in color
so it doesn't look bad?

Thanks all for your replies.

I went to look at the Service Entrance Cable today and I took some
photos. The cable has two distinct damaged areas as shown in the two
photos below. I also took a photo of the meter but I decided not to
post it since it is not my house and the photo shows the meter
number etc.
. . . ,
Here are the photos of the two damaged areas on the Service Entrance
Cable:

http://tinypic.com/r/t7jpd5/8
http://tinypic.com/r/wr10eg/8

*The SE cable needs to be replaced. That type of cable was not UV
resistant and the outer jacket became brittle as a result. What
usually happens is water gets inside and drips down the cable
sometimes going all the way through to the electrical panel.

Is there any evidence of water inside of the electrical panel? How
about the meter socket?

Thanks John.

I think that type of SEU cable is supposed to be UV resistant, and it looks
like the same type of SEU cable that was used in all of the new electric
services that I have had installed by licensed electricians in recent
years -- a total of 5.

This link indicates that the SEU cable that they sell is supposed to be
"sunlight" resistant, which I guess means UV resistant:
http://www.nassauelectrical.com/wire.../ser-seu-cable



I can see that the cable photos that I posted do indicate that the outer
cover is deteriorating and cracking. So, yes, one option would be to
replace the whole cable with a new one. However, I can't help but think
that there may be some type of new protective wrap that could be used since
that is all that is really needed in my opinion. In my dreams, I imagine
someone selling a new flexible PVC or silicone protective wrap that could
just be run vertically along the from of the cable, then wrapped around the
back, and maybe sealed with silicone adhesive caulk.



So far, I haven't found anything that I would consider to be a home run for
that idea. I am still checking out various "silicone tape" possibilities as
well as the idea of a new click-together conduit as someone described in
another post. Of course, at some point in terms of cost and labor involved,
in may be almost just as easy to have the cable replaced with a new one.



About the water issue -- no water in the main panel, and I was not able to
look into the meter box so I don't know if any water is getting in there. I
did once have a problem with water in a main service panel as you described.
In that case, the water was coming from inside the meter box, down inside
the cable from the meter box to the main panel, and then dripped into the
main panel. I posted about that before and the final answer in that case
was that the meter box itself had to be sealed to water from getting in, and
the source of the water in the meter box was not coming from inside the
cable above the meter box.


*I don't think that the older SE cable had the UV inhibitors that the new stuff does. I have seen many older SE cables that looks like yours.

I do not know of any remedy for this except to replace the cable.

In ,
bob haller typed:
On Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at 8:04:27 PM UTC-4,
wrote:
On Tue, 24 Mar 2015 15:49:37 -0400, "TomR" wrote:


enough protection unless something hits the cable and knocks the
I'd get a couple lengths of Cantex split conduit if it can be
sourced locally at a decent price and be done with it. - or even some
Tyton or equivalent split corrugated loom.

all of this leads to my questions. what the main breakers amp rating?
or is it still a fuse box?

It is a modern main service panel with a 100-amp main breaker, all circuit
breakers (no fuses or fuse box), and modern "Romex-style" wiring (I think it
is called NM cable).

On Wednesday, March 25, 2015 at 10:03:18 AM UTC-4, TomR wrote:
In ,
bob haller typed:
On Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at 8:04:27 PM UTC-4,
wrote:
On Tue, 24 Mar 2015 15:49:37 -0400, "TomR" wrote:


enough protection unless something hits the cable and knocks the
I'd get a couple lengths of Cantex split conduit if it can be
sourced locally at a decent price and be done with it. - or even some
Tyton or equivalent split corrugated loom.

all of this leads to my questions. what the main breakers amp rating?
or is it still a fuse box?

It is a modern main service panel with a 100-amp main breaker, all circuit
breakers (no fuses or fuse box), and modern "Romex-style" wiring (I think it
is called NM cable).

Hopefully it isnt a FPE main pael?

On Mon, 23 Mar 2015 05:52:47 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On Sun, 22 Mar 2015 21:24:19 -0400, micky
wrote:


I wish I could say I'd tested the silicon tape outdoors. I've used it
outdoors, on my phone line that a neighbor's half-baked contractors cut,
but I buried that and haven't see it for 10 years. Phone and DSL work
fine, however.

When I still had dial-up, one day my computer went out. I go downtairs
and ttwo guys are poking at the ground with a metal rod. I'm in a
townhouse and they're rebuilding a little fence around the front "patio"
and instead they cut one of my phone lines.

I should have said they were working for the guy next door. I

When the electric company wanted to add a pole on the street in front
of my house, they called DigSafe and had it marked. Yep, they drilled
with a big auger and took out half my sewer line. I sent them the
$3200 repair bill. Plus, they had two trucks and crew out here during
the digging to support the new pole.

Maybe they thought DigSafe had marked where they should dig. The odds
are 50/50.

On Wed, 25 Mar 2015 15:29:23 -0400, micky
wrote:

On Mon, 23 Mar 2015 05:52:47 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On Sun, 22 Mar 2015 21:24:19 -0400, micky
wrote:


I wish I could say I'd tested the silicon tape outdoors. I've used it
outdoors, on my phone line that a neighbor's half-baked contractors cut,
but I buried that and haven't see it for 10 years. Phone and DSL work
fine, however.

When I still had dial-up, one day my computer went out. I go downtairs
and ttwo guys are poking at the ground with a metal rod. I'm in a
townhouse and they're rebuilding a little fence around the front "patio"
and instead they cut one of my phone lines.

I should have said they were working for the guy next door. I

When the electric company wanted to add a pole on the street in front
of my house, they called DigSafe and had it marked. Yep, they drilled
with a big auger and took out half my sewer line. I sent them the
$3200 repair bill. Plus, they had two trucks and crew out here during
the digging to support the new pole.

Maybe they thought DigSafe had marked where they should dig. The odds
are 50/50.
I think my chance of hitting something without dig-safe telling me
where it is supposed to be are a lot poorer than 50-50.

John G posted for all of us...



A friend of mine bought a house and one of the things that the home
inspector noted was some wear or damage to the insulation on the
service entrance cable on the outside of the house that runs down
to the meter. . . . ,

..., my question is..., If the only issue is some minor cracking or
wear in the service entrance cable insulation, is there a way to
just repair the insulation? ...
is there some type of insulation repair product that can be applied
that is made for this type of situation -- possibly gray in color
so it doesn't look bad?

Thanks all for your replies.

I went to look at the Service Entrance Cable today and I took some
photos. The cable has two distinct damaged areas as shown in the two
photos below. I also took a photo of the meter but I decided not to
post it since it is not my house and the photo shows the meter
number etc.
. . . ,
Here are the photos of the two damaged areas on the Service Entrance
Cable:

http://tinypic.com/r/t7jpd5/8
http://tinypic.com/r/wr10eg/8

*The SE cable needs to be replaced. That type of cable was not UV
resistant and the outer jacket became brittle as a result. What
usually happens is water gets inside and drips down the cable
sometimes going all the way through to the electrical panel.

Is there any evidence of water inside of the electrical panel? How
about the meter socket?

Thanks John.

I think that type of SEU cable is supposed to be UV resistant, and it looks
like the same type of SEU cable that was used in all of the new electric
services that I have had installed by licensed electricians in recent
years -- a total of 5.

This link indicates that the SEU cable that they sell is supposed to be
"sunlight" resistant, which I guess means UV resistant:
http://www.nassauelectrical.com/wire.../ser-seu-cable



I can see that the cable photos that I posted do indicate that the outer
cover is deteriorating and cracking. So, yes, one option would be to
replace the whole cable with a new one. However, I can't help but think
that there may be some type of new protective wrap that could be used since
that is all that is really needed in my opinion. In my dreams, I imagine
someone selling a new flexible PVC or silicone protective wrap that could
just be run vertically along the from of the cable, then wrapped around the
back, and maybe sealed with silicone adhesive caulk.



So far, I haven't found anything that I would consider to be a home run for
that idea. I am still checking out various "silicone tape" possibilities as
well as the idea of a new click-together conduit as someone described in
another post. Of course, at some point in terms of cost and labor involved,
in may be almost just as easy to have the cable replaced with a new one.



About the water issue -- no water in the main panel, and I was not able to
look into the meter box so I don't know if any water is getting in there. I
did once have a problem with water in a main service panel as you described.
In that case, the water was coming from inside the meter box, down inside
the cable from the meter box to the main panel, and then dripped into the
main panel. I posted about that before and the final answer in that case
was that the meter box itself had to be sealed to water from getting in, and
the source of the water in the meter box was not coming from inside the

+1 OP Listen to John G

--
Tekkie *Please post a follow-up*

I was just skimming through here I know it's pretty old but if somebody reads this. No you can't slide that through the PVC because you can't have an uninsulated grounded conductor in conduit

On 1/3/20 2:49 PM, wrote:
I was just skimming through here I know it's pretty old but if somebody reads this. No you can't slide that through the PVC because you can't have an uninsulated grounded conductor in conduit


Is this yet another new rule change?

On Fri, 3 Jan 2020 11:49:52 -0800 (PST), wrote:

I was just skimming through here I know it's pretty old but if somebody reads this. No you can't slide that through the PVC because you can't have an uninsulated grounded conductor in conduit

Cite that violation?

The only place they talk about cables in conduit has to do with
conduit fill.

On Fri, 03 Jan 2020 15:42:12 -0500, wrote:

On Fri, 3 Jan 2020 11:49:52 -0800 (PST), wrote:

I was just skimming through here I know it's pretty old but if somebody reads this. No you can't slide that through the PVC because you can't have an uninsulated grounded conductor in conduit

Cite that violation?

The only place they talk about cables in conduit has to do with
conduit fill.

After doing a little research:

If you bond both ends of the conduit to the GEC then you are OK. (See
250.64(E))


It would be better to use a non-ferrous conduit, but Metallic conduit,
if used, must have the appropriate BONDING devices at both ends to
prevent the possibility of an INDUCTIVE CHOKE being set up, which, as
I understand, could, possibly IMPEDE the flow of FAULT current...the
overload device would take longer to trip. No problem in plastic.

I guess the "belt and suspenders" solution would be insulated GEC in
plastic conduit - - - - --

On Friday, January 3, 2020 at 5:31:23 PM UTC-5, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Fri, 03 Jan 2020 15:42:12 -0500, wrote:

On Fri, 3 Jan 2020 11:49:52 -0800 (PST), wrote:

I was just skimming through here I know it's pretty old but if somebody reads this. No you can't slide that through the PVC because you can't have an uninsulated grounded conductor in conduit

Cite that violation?

The only place they talk about cables in conduit has to do with
conduit fill.
After doing a little research:

If you bond both ends of the conduit to the GEC then you are OK. (See
250.64(E))


It would be better to use a non-ferrous conduit, but Metallic conduit,
if used, must have the appropriate BONDING devices at both ends to
prevent the possibility of an INDUCTIVE CHOKE being set up, which, as
I understand, could, possibly IMPEDE the flow of FAULT current...the
overload device would take longer to trip. No problem in plastic.

I guess the "belt and suspenders" solution would be insulated GEC in
plastic conduit - - - - --

That is a terrible, awful idea.

--
For full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...on-826338-.htm

On Fri, 4 Jun 2021 17:32:10 +0000, Kingbub112 posted for all of us to digest...


That is a terrible, awful idea.

What idea? Many posts there, what are you objecting to?

--
Tekkie