What to do with ground/drain on AC cable?

[dpeter]

How is the drain wire or alluminum ground wire on ac cable dealt with? Do you treat it as a ground wire and connect it to the box and or device and if so how do comply with all of the requirements of al to cu connections or is it to be cut off flush with the jackect and let the connector be the compliant gound path? Seems unnatural to leave a wire unterminated in some way.

 

[raider1]

Welcome to the forum.

AC cable contains a bonding wire that helps reduce the impedance of the metallic sheath of the cable and permits the sheath to act as the ground fault current path. 250.118(8) permits the sheath of AC cable to be used as the equipment grounding conductor.

There is no requirement or need to terminate the aluminum bonding wire in AC cable. You can just cut of the wire where is exits the sheath or some people will back wrap it around the cable, this can help keep the required anti-short bushing in place.

Chris

 

[al hildenbrand]

Welcome to the Forum!

The bond / drain wire does all its work under the armor of the cable. Its purpose is to short one contact point on the armor to the two contact points on either side.

Once the armor is removed there are no contact point with the armor, and the bond / drain wire is no longer performing a purpose.

The armor bond / drain wire is not an equipment grounding conductor (EGC).

 

[dpeter]

Thanks for the welcome. Keeping the anti short in place is a good use of the excess. I was working with some 10 the other day and began to wonder as I have not seen in any literature that I have access to that explains it.

 

[dpeter]

Thanks for the welcome AL. So is there a writen instruction some where that speaks to this issue? Not that I doubt anyones word on this. I was unable to find it in the armored cable section of the code (08). Is this one of those "NEC does not mention it so you can do what you like" things?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Here is a good link to the different types of MC cable and the distinction between ac and mc cables. The 2nd page of the pdf tells how to terminate mc.
Click Here for Southwire Info

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

A picture says a thousand words, or something like that.

Here is how some treat the drain wire of AC cable.

 

[celtic]

A picture says a thousand words, or something like that.

Here is how some treat the drain wire of AC cable.

That says INSANITY to me :grin:



Q: What do with the bonding strip?
A: Anything you want to

It's true!

Here is a NEMA BULLETIN [in pdf format], complete with pictures and EVERYTHING
It's only 2 pages....one with lots of words [boooo]...one with pictures [yeah!]

 

[infinity]

I really hate it when guys wrap the bonding strip around the spiral of the jacket.

 

[B4T]

I really hate it when guys wrap the bonding strip around the spiral of the jacket.

Why?? I do that to keep the red head on:wink:

 

[infinity]

Why?? I do that to keep the red head on:wink:

I seem to remember every time that I was doing a service upgrade I would have to deal with cutting off or unwinding the bonding strip that someone so meticulously wound around the spiral of the cable. IMO a simple fold-over is all that's needed to hold in the anti-short bushing in place until it goes into the connector.

 

[iwire]

IMO a simple fold-over is all that's needed to hold in the anti-short bushing in place until it goes into the connector.

I know you are right, but wrapping it back is so firmly ingrained in me I doubt I could ever just fold it over. :grin:

 

[infinity]

I know you are right, but wrapping it back is so firmly ingrained in me I doubt I could ever just fold it over. :grin:

That seems to be the case with a lot of electricians. :grin:

 

[B4T]

I should of called it an "anti-short bushing".. but that habit also seems hard to give up

 

[celtic]

I just make it disappear ...my handy dandy BX cutters are worth their weight in gold.

BX cutters;

Klien 1104

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

How do you use those cutters all wrapped up like that?

I think you are really a closet wrap the drain wire guy, but don't want Rob to know. :grin:

 

[infinity]

How do you use those cutters all wrapped up like that?

I think you are really a closet wrap the drain wire guy, but don't want Rob to know. :grin:

I just had to relocate some junction boxes today and wouldn't you know that last electrician was a "wrapper". I thought of this thread as I cursed the fella.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

I just had to relocate some junction boxes today and wouldn't you know that last electrician was a "wrapper". I thought of this thread as I cursed the fella.

It was most likely Celtic's job. :grin:

 

[celtic]

How do you use those cutters all wrapped up like that?

I think you are really a closet wrap the drain wire guy, but don't want Rob to know. :grin:

I just had to relocate some junction boxes today and wouldn't you know that last electrician was a "wrapper". I thought of this thread as I cursed the fella.

It was most likely Celtic's job. :grin:

I keep telling you guys I have mad skills...you should see me in action [BTW, there IS an admission charge :grin: ]


I was a wrapper.....but then I "discovered" that NEMA bulletin.
So I alternate which method I use ~ just to drive guys like Infinity batty :grin:

 

[peter d]

I know you are right, but wrapping it back is so firmly ingrained in me I doubt I could ever just fold it over. :grin:

Cutting it off is so ingrained in me that I doubt I could ever wrap it back.


By the way, you can teach an old dog new tricks. You did learn solar installations, after all.