E.M.T. good for ground

[electricman2]

Not necessarily, the break in the conduit could be before the first box.

The upstream section would still be bonded to the panel though.:wink:

 

[ryan_618]

I was thinking two breaks in the pipe, sorry I should have mentioned that. What I am thinking in my mind is a conduit system that has a bad coupling, and a person falling over it (like in an attic) and ripping the pipe free in the process. I heard of a case in Florida where this happened.

Edited spelling.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I was thinking two breaks in the pipe, sorry I should have mentioned that. What I am thinking in my mind is a conduit system that has a bad coupling, and a person falling over it (like in an attic) and ripping the pipe free in the process. I heard of a case in Florida where this happened.

Edited spelling.

Yeah I bet this happens all the time. :-? If that happened they would fix the conduit but if a loose connector pulled apart ( Which I believe is more likely to happen then the egc would do the job.

I am not advocating pulling an extra egc but it can't hurt and can be benefical. I think we all need to do what we need to do to feel comfortable. A good raceway install is not an issue. I think sometimes that pulling that egc makes one not as careful with the conduit install.

I think it is very easy to forget to tighten a screw. I do very little pipe work and I have seen it a number of times. I have done it myself but I always go back and check every fitting when I finish the run. Fortunately I don't do much of it.

 

[crossman]

One thing this dialogue has done for me: It has made clear how important proper strapping is when running EMT without an extra equipment ground wire. Proper strapping will help prevent the pipe from being pulled apart.

I never thought of strapping as having any kind of electrical function, and perhaps I never considered it to be all that critical. I always considered strapping and supporting to be just a mechanical thing. But strapping actually does perform an electrical function by helping maintain a good fault path by helping prevent the EMT from coming apart.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I did a job years ago on an office building. I worked in a small area of it and every piece of emt was run with no straps. Pipe was run from the steel to laying on the tile and back up again. Wedged over plumbing etc. Actually I think there were 2 straps in the hundreds of feet I removed.

 

[wirebender]

Thanks..........

You are welcome.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

I was thinking two breaks in the pipe, sorry I should have mentioned that. What I am thinking in my mind is a conduit system that has a bad coupling, and a person falling over it (like in an attic) and ripping the pipe free in the process. I heard of a case in Florida where this happened.

Edited spelling.

So are we any better off if it had no egc ?With one we atleast have a chance.

 

[ryan_618]

Jim: What I am saying is that even if there is an EGC, fittings must be made up tight. There is always a hazard with loose connections.

 

[jerm]

How many posts were we aiming for again? Or is it a post-per-time unit contest this time?

 

[dlhoule]

Personally I like an EGC to be used. In many cases of older runs of EMT or even rigid conduit, due to humidity, roof leaks, water pipe leaks, steam leaks the conduit winds up rusting clean through and then you have no complete ground path.