A mobile home feeder cable is a four-conductor aluminum cable, rated 600V, that carries power from the outside disconnect to the manufactured home’s panel.
The simplest way to think about a mobile home feeder cable is as the permanent wiring link between a manufactured home and the electricity supply. It runs from the utility disconnect or meter pedestal to the home’s main panel, and it is treated as its own category under the National Electrical Code (NEC) rather than as ordinary house wiring. That distinction matters: Article 550 sets specific rules for how this cable is built, sized, routed, and buried.
What Makes It A Mobile Home Feeder Cable
The cable is defined by its construction. A typical mobile home feeder cable is quadruplexed, meaning it contains four insulated aluminum conductors: two ungrounded phase conductors, one neutral, and one equipment grounding conductor.
Most products in this family are labeled RHH/RHW-2 or USE-2, sometimes marked as USE-2/RHH/RHW-2. Those markings tell an electrician the cable is approved for the conditions a mobile home hookup involves, including wet locations, sunlight exposure, and direct burial. The common UL references are UL 44 and UL 854.
This is not a product for general branch-circuit wiring inside the home. It exists for one job: connecting a mobile or manufactured home to a permanent power supply. The apprentice’s guide to NEC Article 550 lays out the full scope of that job.
Can You Just Use Ordinary Service Cable?
No, not safely and not compliantly. NEC Article 550 requires that the supply to a mobile home be either a listed 50A power-supply cord or a permanently installed feeder assembly. A standard service cable does not automatically meet that requirement.
If the home uses a cord-and-plug connection, the cord is limited to 50A, cannot be longer than 36.5 feet, must be marked with its amperage, and must end in a 125/250V, 3-pole, 4-wire grounding-type 50A attachment plug cap. One exception allows a 40A cord for units equipped with gas or oil-fired central heating and cooking appliances. The entry point also has rules: the cord or feeder must pass through the exterior wall, floor, or roof, never through a window or vent.
Permanent feeder installations can run to a mast weatherhead or inside a raceway. When a raceway method is used, the installer must follow the manufacturer’s written instructions for sizing the feeder conductors and junction box.
Feeder Entry And Burial Requirements
Indiana’s state electrical guidelines for manufactured homes, which track the NEC closely, say feeder conductors may be installed by conduit wiring, power-supply cord, or four-wire underground conductors. Whichever method is used, the feeder must consist of four insulated, color-coded conductors: two ungrounded, one neutral, and one equipment grounding conductor.
For underground runs, the cable has to be buried deep enough and protected where damage is possible. Indiana’s electrical guidelines for manufactured homes specify that underground cable exposed to physical damage must be protected by conduit and buried at least 24 inches below grade. In mobile home communities, direct-burial cable or conduit must meet NEC Table 300.5 cover requirements, and conduit must be rigid metal conduit, IMC, or PVC Schedule 80.
| Requirement | NEC Rule | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Supply method | Listed 50A cord or permanent feeder assembly | A random cable is not a compliant hookup |
| Cord limits | 50A max, 36.5 ft max, 4-wire grounding plug | Wrong cord length or plug fails inspection |
| Entry point | Exterior wall, floor, or roof only | Windows and vents are not legal entry points |
| Burial depth | 24 in minimum where exposed to damage | Shallow runs get damaged and create shock hazards |
Sizing: What Size Feeder Cable Do You Need?
Sizing follows the home’s amperage. Mobile home feeder cable is commonly available for 100A, 150A, and 200A services, and the conductor size has to match the breaker and the load calculation for that specific home.
That designation means three 2 AWG conductors (two hot legs plus the neutral) and one 4 AWG equipment grounding conductor. If you are buying cable for a 100-amp hookup, a pre-tested roundup of the best 2-2-2-4 mobile home feeder cables shows which products meet the spec.
Whatever size you land on, the cable must be approved for the environment it sits in, and conductors installed in conduit must be approved for wet locations. When in doubt, the safe move is to have the installation checked against Article 550 and local rules before the utility energizes it.
FAQs
What size wire do I need for a 100-amp mobile home service?
The final size must match the home’s load calculation and the breaker rating, so confirm the ampacity with an electrician before buying.
Can mobile home feeder cable be buried directly in the ground?
Yes, if the cable is rated for direct burial, but it must be buried at least 24 inches deep or protected by conduit where physical damage is possible. In mobile home communities, conduit must be rigid metal conduit, IMC, or PVC Schedule 80, and burial must meet NEC Table 300.5.
How many conductors does a mobile home feeder need?
A compliant mobile home feeder uses four insulated, color-coded conductors: two ungrounded phase conductors, one neutral, and one equipment grounding conductor. A three-wire feeder without a separate ground is not compliant with current NEC requirements for manufactured home hookups.
References & Sources
- EC&M. “The Apprentice’s Guide to NEC Article 550.” Explains the feeder assembly and power-supply cord options for mobile homes.
- Indiana Department of Health. “Electrical Guidelines for Manufactured Homes.” Covers conductor requirements, burial depth, and conduit rules for mobile home communities.
