Emt as a ground

[yankeeman411]

A little unclear on something, im sure its been covered in the past in this forum but having a hard time relating it to to situation, maybe you guys can chime in and clear it up.

i have a panel in an electric room, a one inch pipe goes underground to a rigid 90 then to pvc. Once it hits the destination it goes through the pour in rigid and up the wall in rigid to a jbox that is grounded with a lug. Out of that box with emt and hits a fs box with a pendant light on it and it continues downstream to anout 6 or 7 fs box pendant lights. No gronding bushings anywhere and the jbox was drilled out, no concentric knockouts. Do i need to pull a ground or is the emt enough?

 

[yankeeman411]

Also would i have to run a ground from the ground screw to the fixture or is the metal cover connected to the box which is connected to the metal fixture enough

 

[infinity]

If the EMT is connected to a grounded junction box then the EMT connector is suitable to provide the EGC connection without a bonding bushing.

 

[ActionDave]

I agree that the EMT is okay with a standard lock ring. I have not seen very many light fixtures that did not come with a wire equipment grounding conductor so a pigtail from the box to the light may be in order.

 

[Ponchik]

Since you have a PVC between your panel and your first box, you will need an EGC in that portion of the run. Then if it is all metallic from there on then NO EGC is required.

 

[kenman215]

Since you have a PVC between your panel and your first box, you will need an EGC in that portion of the run. Then if it is all metallic from there on then NO EGC is required.

+1

 

[kwired]

Since you have a PVC between your panel and your first box, you will need an EGC in that portion of the run. Then if it is all metallic from there on then No separate EGC is required.

FIFY, metal raceways are permitted to serve as EGC's, sometimes with conditions though.

 

[yankeeman411]

What are those conditions?

 

[infinity]

To start look at 250.118 for FMC and LFMC.

 

[rlundsrud]

You should also be aware that if you install an EGC in the EMT, the EMT cannot be used as an EGC. By that I mean you would need have a grounding pigtail at each outlet, etc. It is one or the other, not both.

 

[infinity]

You should also be aware that if you install an EGC in the EMT, the EMT cannot be used as an EGC. By that I mean you would need have a grounding pigtail at each outlet, etc. It is one or the other, not both.

If the conductors are pulled straight through then the EGC does not need to connect to a metal box. Also you could simply terminate the EGC to the box and use a self-grounding receptacle without the pigtail.

 

[Ponchik]

FIFY, metal raceways are permitted to serve as EGC's, sometimes with conditions though.

I know about those conditions. But PVC is not on the list of 250.118. OP has a PVC in between the metallic raceways. So he needs to have an EGC of proper size installed with the raceway. As I had suggested in my previous post.

 

[Ponchik]

To start look at 250.118 for FMC and LFMC.

Eventhough conditions do apply, these raceways were not mentioned by the OP.

 

[infinity]

Even though conditions do apply, these raceways were not mentioned by the OP.

True, but post #9 was a response to post #8:

What are those conditions?

 

[mopowr steve]

One would need a ground pigtail regardless to the box. Unless the RS cover has stamped mounting corners or the device has self grounding tabs.

 

[kwired]

One would need a ground pigtail regardless to the box. Unless the RS cover has stamped mounting corners or the device has self grounding tabs.

You need a pigtail to the (metallic) box regardless if there is a wire EGC in the raceway or cable, but you may or may not need a pigtail to devices depending on type of mounting of device and/or cover.

 

[rlundsrud]

If the conductors are pulled straight through then the EGC does not need to connect to a metal box. Also you could simply terminate the EGC to the box and use a self-grounding receptacle without the pigtail.

Yes, I agree. I am only saying that if you install a ground wire in the pipe, you would need a pigtail at a box with an outlet. It effectively nullifies the emt as an egc and rules for a non-metallic raceway come into play. If no wire is installed (with emt) then you don't need a pigtail, the yoke of the receptacle is adequate.

 

[mopowr steve]

You need a pigtail to the (metallic) box regardless if there is a wire EGC in the raceway or cable, but you may or may not need a pigtail to devices depending on type of mounting of device and/or cover.

Thats what I said in a nut shell

 

[infinity]

Yes, I agree. I am only saying that if you install a ground wire in the pipe, you would need a pigtail at a box with an outlet. It effectively nullifies the emt as an egc and rules for a non-metallic raceway come into play. If no wire is installed (with emt) then you don't need a pigtail, the yoke of the receptacle is adequate.

I think that we're saying the same thing but couldn't the EGC go directly to the box without a pigtail? A pigtail involves a splice.

 

[mopowr steve]

Yes, your egc could go directly to the box with no pigtail. If the yoke of the device is a self grounding type, or direct metal to metal contact (remove that cardboard washer that holds device screw)
For the purpose of definition, a pigtail from a box is for the connection of a grounded box already (whether by using metallic conduit or by running a seperate egc) to the device. Although I will install multiple pigtails to box (1 for the connection to device and another to connect to a seperate egc.)