UL USE-2 Cable — Underground Service Entrance Cable

When a buried power feeder fails a month after backfill, the numbers are blunt. Trenching again. Crew downtime. Liquidated damages stacking up while your team waits for a replacement reel. That failure pattern recurs wherever cable specs drift from the actual thermal and mechanical loads underground.

UL USE-2 cable is specified precisely to stop this cycle. It carries a 600 V rating, operates continuously at 90°C in wet or dry locations, and meets UL 854 for underground service entrance runs. The construction permits direct burial without conduit, which slices material cost out of medium-to-large commercial and light industrial sitework. For procurement leads and field engineers, the immediate value sits in two numbers: shorter BOM line items and fewer callbacks after energization.

XLPE Insulation Rated for Wet-Location Burial

Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) jacket.
XLPE thermoset chemistry eliminates the melt-flow risk that thermoplastic insulations carry under high current or ambient soil heat. The result is a dielectric that holds its shape and insulation resistance when the cable tray hits 90°C or when trench water pools around the conductor. This removes the most common root cause of buried feeder degradation: insulation softening followed by ground fault. For the project manager, that means one less variable to chase during commissioning.

Sunlight-Resistant Jacketing for Exposed Feeder Segments

UV-stabilized outer jacket.
USE-2 cable is rated for sunlight resistance without additional sleeving where it rises from grade into a meter socket or disconnect. A direct-burial cable that must be sleeved above ground adds connectors, labor, and inspection time. Skip the sleeving. The jacket takes the UV load for the 20- to 30-year asset window typical of commercial underground service. Procurement sees the gain immediately: pared conduit takeoffs and simpler install sequencing.

Direct Burial Without Conduit

Rated for direct earth burial per UL 854.
Direct burial is not a minor permission—it alters the cost structure of the feeder run. No PVC schedule 40, no elbows, no glue, no trench width dictated by conduit spacing. Backfill goes faster. The engineer’s risk calc shifts because the single jacket is the primary physical protection, provided the trench prep meets the minimum bending radius and rock-free bedding requirements. The net effect: a feeder that carries its own enclosure at 15–30% lower installed cost compared to a con-duit-and-conductor assembly, depending on local labor rates.

Dual Temperature Rating: 90°C Wet / 90°C Dry

The 90°C continuous conductor temperature applies equally in wet and dry locations.
Some building wire derates when moisture enters the raceway. USE-2 does not. When a vault floods or soil moisture saturates the trench, the ampacity table stays intact. The supply chain director who standardizes on USE-2 for all underground feeders eliminates one ampacity adjustment factor from the design sheet. Fewer line items, fewer miscalculations, fewer change orders.

Compact Stranded Copper or Aluminum Conductors

Available in both copper and aluminum builds.
Copper gives lower voltage drop per linear foot and higher short-circuit withstand. Aluminum, when terminated correctly with anti-oxidant compound and torque-controlled lugs, delivers weight savings and commodity cost relief. The field engineer gets a straightforward choice—no special connectors, no exotic alloys. Stock the reel that matches the project’s cost-per-hundred-amp calculation and the available terminal ratings.

Technical Specifications & Dimensions

Industry Applications & Scenario Validation

• Commercial underground service entrances — feeds from a pad-mount transformer to the main service disconnect of retail centers, office parks, and warehouses. USE-2 eliminates conduit between the transformer stub and the building wall, speeding trench closure during tight site schedules.
• Industrial plant secondary feeders — routing 600 V power from switchgear to sub-panels or motor control centers via underground raceways. The wet-location temperature rating holds even in areas with high water tables or process water runoff.
• Renewable energy collection systems — solar farm DC homeruns and AC collection feeders buried between array sections. The sunlight-resistant jacket protects cable segments that exit the earth into combiner boxes without additional conduit transitions.
• Utility and co-op secondary distribution — underground drops from distribution transformers to meter pedestals. USE-2’s direct-burial rating and UV resistance align with utility design guides for residential and small commercial laterals.
• Temporary site power installations — construction power boards, trailer panels, and laydown yard feeds where cables sit on grade or under shallow cover. Direct burial without rigid conduit makes relocation and removal faster when site logistics change.

International Compliance & QA Standards

• ✅ UL 854 listed — Service-Entrance Cables
• ✅ UL 1581 flame resistance and sunlight resistance testing
• ✅ ICEA S-95-658 construction requirements for power cables (manufacturer-dependent)
• ✅ RoHS 3 compliant for insulation and jacketing compounds
• ✅ ASTM B3 / B8 conductor standards (copper builds)
• ✅ ASTM B800 / B801 conductor standards (aluminum alloy builds)
• ✅ ISO 9001-certified manufacturing and traceability system (mill test reports included per reel)

FAQ

What distinguishes USE-2 from USE or UF cable in an underground feeder application?
USE and USE-2 both meet UL 854 for underground service entrance. The “-2” suffix indicates a 90°C wet-location rating, while original USE may only carry 75°C. UF cable is designed for underground feeder — not service entrance — and typically lacks the same sunlight resistance and strand count. If the run involves a service drop between the utility transformer and the main disconnect, USE-2 is the compliant choice.

Can USE-2 cable be installed in conduit, and does the ampacity change?
It can be installed in conduit, though its direct-burial rating makes conduit optional. When installed in conduit, the ampacity follows NEC table values for not more than three current-carrying conductors in raceway, with the same 90°C conductor temperature limit. The ampacity does not derate simply because it is in conduit, but conduit fill and thermal backfill conditions must still be assessed per the local electrical code.

What clearance or bedding procedure is required for direct-buried USE-2 cable?
The trench bottom must be free of rocks, debris, or sharp objects. A layer of screened sand or clean native soil, typically 4–6 inches, serves as bedding below and above the cable. Backfill compaction should avoid aggregates larger than ½ inch. These steps prevent point loading on the jacket. Minimum cover depths follow the adopted NEC or CEC table for direct-buried conductors, commonly 24 inches for service entrance cables at 600 V or less.

Request a datasheet and sample cut for your next underground feeder specification.
Send the conductor size, material preference (copper or aluminum), and estimated reel length. A technical specialist will return ampacity tables, install guidelines, and a firm lead time for your project site.