An ordinary MC cable is used indoors, open air and in conduit and with the addition of the PVC jacket it may be buried instantly within the floor for the lifetime of the cable. The PVC jacket retains it air and water tight for underground purposes with out the usage of conduit or raceway. In truth, it may also be buried in concrete if wanted with out complicating the applying in any respect.
PVC Metallic Clad is designed the identical as customary MC cable with copper THHN THWN wires and an aluminum interlocked armor wrapping round the entire conductors collectively. The extra PVC jacket is positioned over the steel clad jacket clearly for added safety. You can too use this cable for those who can afford it and wish to use it above floor in an utility the place extreme affect will happen every day.
Normal MC cable 10-2 will naturally be a lot cheaper than the inflatable PVC due to much less engineering, manufacturing and supplies concerned. When steel clad electrical cables would not have the PVC jacket they’re put in indoors, open air or in conduit. These purposes are known as department, feeder and repair energy distribution in business, industrial, institutional and multi-residential buildings.
MC cable may also be fished or embedded in plaster or put in in hid or uncovered purposes. They’re UL (83, 1569, 1685) authorised and army (AA 59554) authorised in the entire installations talked about above. Additionally they go a vigorous vertical flame check in cable tray at 70,000 BTU’s. The producers be sure to engineer and design these cables to satisfy the NEC code as a result of they perceive the inspection course of and don’t need the tip customers of the cables to have any problems throughout set up or after.
Keep in mind, the most important distinction between customary and PVC MC cable is the very fact the PVC MC cable could be put in instantly within the floor. It has extra safety via the PVC jacket to face up to a full life underground.
If you happen to want smaller gauge sizes similar to an underground 10-2 cable you can even use UFB cable as huge as 6 AWG. It is not manufactured any greater than that however the smaller sizes are cheaper than PVC underground cable and nonetheless authorised for use as an underground cable with out conduit. {Most electrical} wire and cable suppliers will inventory UFB cable particularly if they will provide a PVC steel clad cable