wirenco 2-2-2-4 SER Aluminum Service Entrance Cable

Why I picked this SER cable for my feeder project

I used this 50‑foot aluminum SER cable to feed a detached garage subpanel and came away impressed with how straightforward it was to work with for a cable of its size. It’s a 2‑2‑2‑4 configuration in a gray jacket, rated 600 volts, for wet and dry locations, and sold in a manageable 50‑foot coil that weighs roughly 18 pounds. For typical residential feeders—subpanels, RV pedestals, and mobile home hookups—it hits the sweet spot of capacity, durability, and price.

I’ll walk through how it handled during installation, what to watch out for with aluminum conductors, and where I think this cable makes the most sense.

Build quality and handling

• Jacket: The outer jacket is tough and abrasion resistant with clear printing for identification. It handled exterior runs and sunlight exposure without scuffing easily. The gray color is standard for service cable and blends in well on exterior walls.
• Conductor set: The 2‑2‑2‑4 layout gives you four conductors total—two hots, an insulated neutral, and a bare equipment grounding conductor. This is exactly what you want for a subpanel, where neutral and ground must be isolated.
• Weight and flexibility: At about 0.359 lb/ft, a 50‑foot coil is light enough to handle solo. It’s stiffer than copper of the same ampacity (as expected with aluminum) but it wasn’t unwieldy. Large, sweeping bends are the key; don’t fight tight corners.
• Cut and strip: A ratcheting cable cutter made clean work of it. For stripping, I prefer a sharp knife used carefully along the jacket spine rather than rotary tools that can nick aluminum strands. The individual conductor insulation strips cleanly with a heavy-duty stripper.

Installation notes from the field

• Above-ground use: This is an SE‑R cable intended for above-ground service and feeders. It’s not for direct burial. If you need underground, pick USE‑2/URD or individual THWN‑2 conductors in conduit.
• Conduit runs: Short protective sleeves of appropriately sized conduit (e.g., through a wall or up a mast) are fine. For long conduit runs, plan for the cable’s stiffness and bend radius; sometimes individual conductors pull easier than a large cable assembly.
• Support and protection: Support the cable per code along exterior walls with approved straps and maintain gentle bends. Keep it clear of sharp edges; use bushings and grommets where it passes through metal.
• Terminations: Use AL/CU‑rated lugs, apply an antioxidant compound on the stripped aluminum, and torque to the manufacturer’s spec with a calibrated wrench. Don’t guess on torque; it matters for long-term stability with aluminum.
• Subpanel specifics: Isolate the neutral bar from the enclosure, land the insulated white on the neutral, and put the bare equipment ground on the ground bar. Remove any factory bonding screw/strap linking neutral to the can.

Capacity and performance

This cable is listed 600V and commonly used for feeders up to around 90–100 amps, depending on local code, termination temperature ratings, and the specific listing of the cable and equipment. In my case, feeding a 60A subpanel, it ran cool and showed no signs of stress even under sustained load.

A practical advantage of 2 AWG aluminum at this length is minimal voltage drop for typical residential loads. At 50 feet, you’re looking at roughly:
- Around 1–1.5% drop on a 240V load at 50–100A
- Around 1–2.5% on a 120V branch load at 50–100A

Those are ballpark figures, but they align with what I observed on a space-heater test and a small compressor starting surge: no noticeable dimming or sag.

If you truly need a full 100A feeder and your AHJ is strict on conductor sizing at 75°C termination ratings, consider confirming whether this exact cable is accepted at 100A in your jurisdiction or step up to a larger aluminum SER (e.g., 1‑1‑1‑3). That’s not a knock on the cable—just good practice with aluminum feeders.

Real-world use cases where it shines

• Detached garage or shop subpanel: The quartet of conductors simplifies code‑correct subpanel wiring, and the jacket handles exterior wall runs well.
• RV pedestal or 50A receptacle station: Plenty of capacity and headroom, with manageable voltage drop at 50 feet.
• Mobile home feeder or meter-to-panel service on a structure where above‑ground routing makes sense: Durable jacket and clear labeling make inspections smoother.

What I liked

• Good balance of stiffness and manageability: It’s stout enough to feel durable but not so rigid that you’re wrestling it around corners.
• Clean jacket and conductor markings: Helpful when the run crosses different surfaces and you want everything identified clearly.
• Wet/dry location rating: Makes mixed‑environment runs simpler to design and install.
• Sensible 50‑foot length: Many feeder projects land right around this mark, and you avoid paying for excess you’ll never use.

What to watch out for

• Aluminum best practices apply: Use antioxidant, AL/CU lugs, and correct torque. If you’re used to copper-only work, build in time for careful termination.
• Not for direct burial: If you need underground, choose a different cable type. This one is for above-ground routing, typically secured along a structure.
• Bend planning: The cable appreciates gentle sweeps, especially entering panels. Lay out entry points so you’re not forcing tight radii.
• Ampacity expectations: Depending on local code and termination temp ratings, some inspectors will treat 2‑2‑2‑4 aluminum as a ~90A feeder. If your design demands a hard 100A, verify acceptance or upsize.

Installation tips that helped

• Pre-shape your panel entries: Dry‑fit the last few feet into a large-radius curve before landing the lugs. It takes spring out of the cable and keeps stress off the terminations.
• Use proper bushings: Where the jacket meets metal edges, nylon or rubber bushings keep the jacket from rubbing over time.
• Label both ends before the pull: Mark hots, neutral, and ground clearly. It’s a small step that saves time in tight panels.
• Torque chart at the ready: Keep lug manufacturer torque specs on hand. I mark each landed lug with a paint pen after torquing so I know what’s done.

Durability and long-term outlook

SER cable has a strong track record for exterior above‑ground service. The jacket on this one is robust, and I don’t see it degrading quickly under normal sun and weather exposure when properly supported. Aluminum conductor technology and oxide inhibitors have also improved long‑term stability. I still recommend a quick visual check during seasonal maintenance—ensure supports are snug, no jacket damage is present, and terminations remain clean and tight per manufacturer guidance.

Value

For residential and light commercial feeders, aluminum SER continues to offer excellent value versus copper. This 50‑foot cut keeps projects budget‑friendly while delivering the capacity most subpanels need. If you’re cost‑sensitive and your run length and loads fit the envelope, it’s hard to justify stepping up to copper solely for ease of handling.

The bottom line

I would recommend this SER cable for above‑ground feeder work where a 2‑2‑2‑4 aluminum set makes sense—garage and shop subpanels, RV stations, and similar applications. It’s well‑built, clearly marked, and reasonably easy to work with for its size. As long as you follow aluminum termination best practices, support the cable correctly, and verify your ampacity and installation method with local code, it delivers dependable performance without overcomplicating the job.