What to Look Out For When Buying a Service Entrance Cable

There are many reasons you’d be looking up for details on SERs, I guess you want to know more about them for some specific reason. At Nassau Electricals, we supply a wide range of cables and we’re always glad to help people out with information or with choosing the right cables for their needs. In this post, I we share with you on SERs, their bas ic features, their applications and their installations. Have a nice read.

So what’s a Service Entrance Cable?  
Generally, cables and wires are used mainly for the purposes of transmitting electricity from the main source to the several other users, and the SER’s are not any different. They are used somewhere between the main supply lines and the end user station. So what’s unique about them, what makes them SER’s? As their name suggests, they are used at the final phase of transmission where power gets to an appliance. The energy from the appliances or devices at home has to pass through the SER because the cables serves very vital purposes; it serves to not only protect but also distribute electrical supply to different circuits that have been strategically put at home or inside the office. Service entrance cables are used vastly by consumers because they provide uttermost safety to the user and the appliance by preventing shocks and unnecessary blowouts.

How is A Service Entrance Cable made? 
A SER often has wires made of copper. A conventional type has three copper wires in it, two are insulated in different colors and the third is bare, it’s just how they are identified. The insulated wires are transmitters of power and the bare wire serves two purposes; to support the SER and to neutralize the two primary conductors. The three wires are then covered using a rubber or a plastic insulator from the harsh environmental elements which would make the wire wear out fast.

Here are some features of a basic service entrance cables 
Service entrance cables have a good number of unique features making the cable have great benefits such as;

1.Great flexibility- this is owed to the fact that they are made with stabiloy conductors and cross linked polyethylene insulation (XLPE).

2.Environmentally safe- it has a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) jacket which is lead free as well as cadmium free Weather and flame resistant jacket- this feature makes the cables to be long lasting because they fend off elements that can bring about deterioration.

3.Sequential footage marking- this ascertains that there is accuracy in measurement every other time.

4.Tri-stripping- This special feature enhances the visibility of the grounded conductor.

5.90 degree rated insulation- this outstanding feature makes the cables to be of very high quality.

Insulators are used in service entrance cables to protect cables from any damage as they are often used in harsh conditions. The insulators are usually sturdy.  Before installation, be sure the cables have no defects for safety purposes and also to avoid any malfunctioning.

Identifying service entrance cables 
The conductors in service entrance cables are insulated and are phase identified. A single insulated conductor has one longitudinal stripe that is red, another is colored totally white or has three white stripes and the final conductor is black in color. You might also find others with a fourth conductor with blue stripes. All the conductors are then twisted together then wrapped with a tape that is glass reinforced. To have a final product the PVC jacket is extruded over the assembly.

Installation of service entrance cables 
During the installation of these cables, clear steps need to be adhered to in accordance to the guidelines set by The United States National Electrical Code (NEC) as well as the law on wiring and protection. These guidelines are put in place to provide precautionary measures to avoid electrocution that may occur accidentally and also to avoid other dangers that people may face in the event of poor installation.

Buying a Service Entrance Cable 
There are very many hardware stores around the world where you can get a service entrance cable. They are used in every country so you can be sure two find a variety in your local hardware. There’s also a consistent increase in the number of online suppliers whose prices are very competitive. The standard type of insulation makes it easier to identify them. However, before you by the SER, you need to take some time to check that the thickness is uniform all through its length.  Some suppliers sell in bulk while some can sell per unit meter, it depends on what best suits your needs, just be sure to go for what works best for you.

We at Nassau are expert suppliers of the service entrance cables. You can be sure that we will provide long term solutions to your problems. We will help you make great purchase decisions and give you valuable information on installations. For queries or more information