Steel Wire For Overhead Service

[MIKE RALPH]

I am running a 30 amp overhead service to a detached garage ,from what I have read you have to have a steel support wire run with your sunlight resistant wire.Just what are the requirements for the support wire?

[suemarkp]

First, are you running a Service or Feeder? I'm suspecting you're running a feeder. What type of wire are you using? If you use something like 10-3 w/ground UF cable, it has to be suported from a messenger wire.

I see no requirements for the messenger wire itself. There is a section dealing with mesenger supported wiring (NEC 396). I would try to use something listed as a messenger wire, as it is probably up to the inspector to determine if it is suitable for use and strength. Don't go buy steel fence wire and hope that is sufficient.

If you use individual wires, you have this limitation:
225.6(A) Overhead Spans. Open individual conductors shall not be smaller than the following:
(1) For 600 volts, nominal, or less, 10 AWG copper or 8 AWG aluminum for spans up to 15 m (50 ft) in length, and 8 AWG copper or 6 AWG aluminum for a longer span unless supported by a messenger wire

[MIKE RALPH]

Thanks for the info.
The garage is 50 feet away and is now being fed from the house with 12/2wg without a messenger cable.This being not enough power I first thought I would go with 10/3wg,or 8/3wg which is why I asked about the cable. But after thinking about it,the cost mainly,I decided I would go with quadraplex overhead,since I understand the nec 2008 requires a ground be run with the service.