Schmoleskin
Member
- Location
- Denver, CO, USA
First some background, per 2017 NEC 250.122 (F) (1),
Conductor Installations in Raceways, Auxiliary Gutters, or
Cable Trays.
(a) Single Raceway or Cable Tray. If conductors are installed
in parallel in the same raceway or cable tray, a single wiretype
conductor shall be permitted as the equipment grounding
conductor. The wire-type equipment grounding conductor
shall be sized in accordance with 250.122, based on the overcurrent
protective device for the feeder or branch circuit. Wiretype
equipment grounding conductors installed in cable trays
shall meet the minimum requirements of 392.10(B)(1)(c).
Metal raceways or auxiliary gutters in accordance with 250.118
or cable trays complying with 392.60(B) shall be permitted as
the equipment grounding conductor.
This appears to allow a single EGC for the whole parallel circuit, sized per Tbl 250.122
The other case, just below the above:
(b) Multiple Raceways. If conductors are installed in
parallel in multiple raceways, wire-type equipment grounding
conductors, where used, shall be installed in parallel in each
raceway. The equipment grounding conductor installed in
each raceway shall be sized in compliance with 250.122 based
on the overcurrent protective device for the feeder or branch
circuit. Metal raceways or auxiliary gutters in accordance with
250.118 or cable trays complying with 392.60(B) shall be
permitted as the equipment grounding conductor.
Requires a full-sized EGC in each raceway, and some discussion in the NEC handbook confirms this and explains why.
Here's my question: when using cable tray to connect a Main Dist swgr or panel to feed, say an MCC, even though most of the wiring is in cable tray, at each end, the parallel groups commonly leave the cable tray and enter the gear thru conduit nipples stubbed up out of the gear, one group per nipple. Does this conversion into conduit force you to install a full sized EGC with each parallel group?
Conductor Installations in Raceways, Auxiliary Gutters, or
Cable Trays.
(a) Single Raceway or Cable Tray. If conductors are installed
in parallel in the same raceway or cable tray, a single wiretype
conductor shall be permitted as the equipment grounding
conductor. The wire-type equipment grounding conductor
shall be sized in accordance with 250.122, based on the overcurrent
protective device for the feeder or branch circuit. Wiretype
equipment grounding conductors installed in cable trays
shall meet the minimum requirements of 392.10(B)(1)(c).
Metal raceways or auxiliary gutters in accordance with 250.118
or cable trays complying with 392.60(B) shall be permitted as
the equipment grounding conductor.
This appears to allow a single EGC for the whole parallel circuit, sized per Tbl 250.122
The other case, just below the above:
(b) Multiple Raceways. If conductors are installed in
parallel in multiple raceways, wire-type equipment grounding
conductors, where used, shall be installed in parallel in each
raceway. The equipment grounding conductor installed in
each raceway shall be sized in compliance with 250.122 based
on the overcurrent protective device for the feeder or branch
circuit. Metal raceways or auxiliary gutters in accordance with
250.118 or cable trays complying with 392.60(B) shall be
permitted as the equipment grounding conductor.
Requires a full-sized EGC in each raceway, and some discussion in the NEC handbook confirms this and explains why.
Here's my question: when using cable tray to connect a Main Dist swgr or panel to feed, say an MCC, even though most of the wiring is in cable tray, at each end, the parallel groups commonly leave the cable tray and enter the gear thru conduit nipples stubbed up out of the gear, one group per nipple. Does this conversion into conduit force you to install a full sized EGC with each parallel group?
