Two 2/0 AWG aluminum hot conductors, one 2/0 AWG aluminum insulated neutral, and one #1 AWG aluminum insulated equipment grounding conductor. All four conductors are individually insulated, rated 600V, with USE-2 or XHHW-2 insulation.

A 4-conductor aluminum cable for feeding power from a service panel to a mobile or manufactured home. Modern MHF uses USE-2 or XHHW-2 conductor insulation, both listed for direct burial and wet locations. The "four conductor, all insulated" construction sets it apart from standard SER, which usually has a bare ground.

For a residential dwelling service or main power feeder to a dwelling, 2/0 aluminum with a full-size neutral is rated for 175A under the reduced-sizing allowance in NEC 310.12. For non-dwelling applications, the standard 75°C ampacity from NEC 310.16 applies: 2/0 AWG aluminum is rated 135 to 150A at 75°C depending on termination temperature. The full-size 2/0 neutral makes this cable suitable for full-load feeders where the neutral may carry unbalanced current.

Yes. The individual conductors inside standard MHF are USE-2 or XHHW-2, both listed for direct burial in wet locations. Follow NEC 300.5 for burial depth: 24 inches for direct-buried residential feeders under 600V, 18 inches under a concrete slab, and shallower depths where protected by conduit.

Two main differences. MHF has an insulated ground; standard SER has a bare ground. And MHF is rated for direct burial and wet locations because it uses USE-2 or XHHW-2 conductors; SER is not. Both are 600V and both are commonly aluminum. Use MHF when the run will be underground or when the destination requires a separated ground and neutral all the way to the subpanel.

Yes, and this is one of the most common non-mobile-home uses. MHF gives you the four insulated conductors NEC 250.32 requires, along with a direct-burial rating. Size the cable for load and run length, install a grounding electrode at the outbuilding, and keep neutral and ground separated at the subpanel. 2/0-2/0-2/0-1 handles loads up to 175A over runs to about 175 ft before voltage drop becomes the limit.

Not as an unsupported drop. For an overhead span between buildings, MHF needs proper messenger support per NEC 396, or it needs to run inside conduit strung between the buildings. Triplex or quadruplex URD is more commonly used for aerial residential drops because it comes pre-assembled with a messenger.

Both are direct-burial rated and both use USE-2 or XHHW-2 conductors. The difference is construction. URD typically comes as triplex or quadruplex with a bare aluminum messenger neutral wrapped around the phase conductors; it is the utility-style assembly used for aerial service drops and buried residential feeders. MHF has all four conductors fully insulated with no bare messenger. Use URD where a bare concentric neutral is acceptable. Use MHF where NEC 250.32 requires an insulated neutral and a separate insulated ground.

Voltage drop, not ampacity, is the sizing limit at long distances. Rule of thumb for a 175A load on 2/0 aluminum at 240V single phase, keeping voltage drop under 3%: about 130 to 150 ft. Beyond that, upsize to 4/0 aluminum. Do the actual voltage-drop calculation for the specific load and run length before ordering.

At 175A load, 240V single phase, on 2/0 aluminum, expected voltage drop is roughly 3% at 150 ft, 5% at 245 ft, and 7% at 340 ft. Standard practice keeps total voltage drop (feeder plus branch circuits) under 5%, with the feeder itself under 3%. Use a proper calculation with the actual load current before ordering.