mc cable with aluminum ground

[John120/240]

There has been much dissucission at our shop about the proper termination of the ground wire. Some say cut off the aluminum ground before it enters the connector and the cable jacket is your ground path. Others suggest that you terminate the aluminum ground inside the box but we do not have copper to aluminum wire nuts to attach to the boxes pig tail.

 

[infinity]

Cut it off. Its' only function is to have intimate contact with the metal jacket. Terminating it is not required. Here's an illustrated version:

http://www.southwire.com/documents/MCAP_BrochureNEW.pdf

 

[1793]

Cut it off. Its' only function is to have intimate contact with the metal jacket. Terminating it is not required. Here's an illustrated version:

http://www.southwire.com/documents/MCAP_BrochureNEW.pdf

At step two instead of cutting, I make a few wraps around the outside of the cable.

 

[partyman973]

Does any one know if this is available in stranded?

 

[augie47]

It is:
http://www.southwire.com/ProductCatalog/XTEInterfaceServlet?contentKey=prodcatsheet66

 

[peter d]

The OP could also be talking about AC cable and confusing the bonding wire with an EGC.

 

[LJSMITH1]

At step two instead of cutting, I make a few wraps around the outside of the cable.

I hope you are only talking about AC cable and not the MCI-A (MCap) type cable. In wrapping this larger aluminum conductor around the sheath, you could inadvertently cause damage to the sheath when the connector clamp is tightened down, or if using a snap-in product, you will cause the fitting not to meet the mechanical or electrical specifications.

In the case of the MCI-A cable, follow the manufacturer's instructions.

 

[1793]

I hope you are only talking about AC cable and not the MCI-A (MCap) type cable. In wrapping this larger aluminum conductor around the sheath, you could inadvertently cause damage to the sheath when the connector clamp is tightened down, or if using a snap-in product, you will cause the fitting not to meet the mechanical or electrical specifications.

In the case of the MCI-A cable, follow the manufacturer's instructions.

I have not as of late run any MCI-A (MCap). I run into this with the older armor cables, BX. What I wrap is a very thin, flat something - I would not even call it a "wire".

 

[LJSMITH1]

*whew*...I thought you were talking about type MC.

BX is now referred to as Type AC, and has the thin bond conductor. Wrapping that on the outside won't have any impact to the fitting or performance.

 

[1793]

*whew*...I thought you were talking about type MC.

BX is now referred to as Type AC, and has the thin bond conductor. Wrapping that on the outside won't have any impact to the fitting or performance.

Now that would be a task in itself. I have been known to do some wild things but that is not one of them.:grin:

Old habits and or terms are hard to break.

 

[infinity]

Since the aluminum bond wire in MCAP is #10 I would make the assumption that he's asking about that and not AC cable. But you know what can happen when you assume. :roll:

 

[quogueelectric]

The last time I installed this cable it came with explicit instructions that you could OR could not cut the bond wire flush. I would think that if you wanted to tail the #10 al you must use AL/CU rated wirenuts to the box with a cu groundtail. Just a higher quality job yet not required for minimum standards.

 

[benaround]

The last time I installed this cable it came with explicit instructions that you could OR could not cut the bond wire flush. I would think that if you wanted to tail the #10 al you must use AL/CU rated wirenuts to the box with a cu groundtail. Just a higher quality job yet not required for minimum standards.

IMO, the AL/CU is for use on all AL or all CU conductors, not for mixing the two together.

 

[quogueelectric]

IMO, the AL/CU is for use on all AL or all CU conductors, not for mixing the two together.

Most al rated wirenuts are ONLY rated for AL/CU that I know of with exception of the KIng industries Alumicon connector which is rated AL/AL and not cheap . So now you of course can easily somehow add 1 cu conductor to make the splice compliant. You dont want to be the one the insurance co hangs the latex donut on when it comes to court time. You must pay attention to the listing of the splice connector.

 

[benaround]

Most al rated wirenuts are ONLY rated for AL/CU that I know of with exception of the KIng industries Alumicon connector which is rated AL/AL and not cheap . So now you of course can easily somehow add 1 cu conductor to make the splice compliant. You dont want to be the one the insurance co hangs the latex donut on when it comes to court time. You must pay attention to the listing of the splice connector.

If you are trying to tell me that you can put 1 cu. wire and 1 al. wire under the same

wirenut, I'm not buying it.

 

[LarryFine]

You dont want to be the one the insurance co hangs the latex donut on when it comes to court time.

Um, latex donut?

 

[Cow]

If you are trying to tell me that you can put 1 cu. wire and 1 al. wire under the same

wirenut, I'm not buying it.

You mean like the Ideal purples?

http://www.idealindustries.com/products/wire_termination/twist-on/twister_al-cu.jsp

 

[John120/240]

very informative

very informative

Thank You John

 

[infinity]

Thank You John

So John for the record what type of cable were you referring to in the OP?

 

[John120/240]

mc cable

mc cable

cable with a spairl wound jacket 10-2 with ground. insulated copper black & white with bare aluminum ground