---
kind: "section"
citation: "30 C.F.R. § 18.35"
title: "30"
number: "18.35"
heading: "Portable (trailing) cables and cords."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/30/18.35"
---

# §18.35. Portable (trailing) cables and cords.

- (a) Portable cables and cords used to conduct electrical energy to face equipment shall conform to the following:
  - (1) Have each conductor of a current-carrying capacity consistent with the Insulated Power Cable Engineers Association (IPCEA) standards. (See Tables 1 and 2 in Appendix I.)
  - (2) **Have current-carrying conductors not smaller than No.** 14 (AWG). Cords with sizes 14 to 10 (AWG) conductors shall be constructed with heavy jackets, the diameters of which are given in Table 6 in Appendix I.
  - (3) **Be accepted as flame resistant under this part or approved under subpart K of part 7 of this chapter.**
  - (4) **Have short-circuit protection at the outby (circuit-connecting) end of ungrounded conductors.** (See Table 8 in Appendix I.) The fuse rating or trip setting shall be included in the assembler's specifications.
  - (5) Ordinarily the length of a portable (trailing) cable shall not exceed 500 feet. Where the method of mining requires the length of a portable (trailing) cable to be more than 500 feet, such length of cable shall be permitted only under the following prescribed conditions:
    - (i) The lengths of portable (trailing) cables shall not exceed those specified in Table 9, Appendix I, titled “Specifications for Portable Cables Longer Than 500 Feet.”
    - (ii) Short-circuit protection shall be provided by a protective device with an instantaneous trip setting as near as practicable to the maximum starting-current-inrush value, but the setting shall not exceed the trip value specified in MSHA approval for the equipment for which the portable (trailing) cable furnishes electric power.
  - (6) **Have nominal outside dimensions consistent with IPCEA standards.** (See Tables 4, 5, 6, and 7 in Appendix I.)
  - (7) **Have conductors of No.** 4 (AWG) minimum for direct-current mobile haulage units or No. 6 (AWG) minimum for alternating-current mobile haulage units.
  - (8) **Have not more than five well-made temporary splices in a single length of portable cable.**
- (b) Sectionalized portable cables will be acceptable provided the connectors used inby the last open crosscut in a gassy mine meet the requirements of [§ 18.41](/cfr/30/18.41.md).
- (c) **A portable cable having conductors smaller than No.** 6 (AWG), when used with a trolley tap and a rail clamp, shall have well insulated single conductors not smaller than No. 6 (AWG) spliced to the outby end of each conductor. All splices shall be made in a workmanlike manner to insure good electrical conductivity, insulation, and mechanical strength.
- (d) Suitable provisions shall be made to facilitate disconnection of portable cable quickly and conveniently for replacement.

## Notes

### Amendments

[33 FR 4660, Mar. 19, 1968; 33 FR 6343, Apr. 26, 1968, as amended at 57 FR 61223, Dec. 23, 1992]

### Authority

Authority: 30 U.S.C. 957, 961.

### Source

Source: 33 FR 4660, Mar. 19, 1968, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[33 FR 4660, Mar. 19, 1968; 33 FR 6343, Apr. 26, 1968, as amended at 57 FR 61223, Dec. 23, 1992]