bobby ocampo
Senior Member
Which do you think is better equipment grounding conductor, BARE or INSULATED? Why?
EQUIPMENT GROUNDING CODUCTOR
- Thread starter bobby ocampo
- Start date
- Status
No difference
No difference
I can't see where insulation would make a difference in the conductor performing its duty. I always 'felt' that bare was better, because I could imagine the bare wire making contact with the inside of the conduit. I have no justification for this, just how I see the world. I guess if you think about it at least insulated wire would protect the conductor, but I still don't see a difference.
No difference
I can't see where insulation would make a difference in the conductor performing its duty. I always 'felt' that bare was better, because I could imagine the bare wire making contact with the inside of the conduit. I have no justification for this, just how I see the world. I guess if you think about it at least insulated wire would protect the conductor, but I still don't see a difference.
bobby ocampo
Senior Member
What are the advantages and disadvantages of bare or insulated equipment grounding conductor?
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
I think if you have a metallic raceway, it is more difficult to pull an bare conductor through the raceway than it would be to pull an insulated one.
A bare EGC in a non-metallic raceway many be a quicker fault clearing path in the case of insulation damage, within the raceway, to one of the ungrounded conductors.
Bare conductors are not as common as insulated conductors and often even cost more.
ggunn
PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
Isn't it a code violation to pull a bare Cu ECG through a metallic raceway?
pjholguin
Senior Member
Well, I was indifferent once, but when I got red tagged for running a bare ground in a underground run of PVC. It was explained to me there is a
greater chance of water damage to the conductor. I re-pulled the ground with insulation; And have been doing so ever since(30 years). It made since to me at the time and it just stuck. Having said that I realize that I have seen many EGC with no damage from the elements...so that is my story. :slaphead:
greater chance of water damage to the conductor. I re-pulled the ground with insulation; And have been doing so ever since(30 years). It made since to me at the time and it just stuck. Having said that I realize that I have seen many EGC with no damage from the elements...so that is my story. :slaphead:
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
No-- not at all . Grounding electrode conductor thru metal conduit needs bonding but equipment grounding conductor is fine
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
I have worked on jobs where the specs required the EGC to be a bare conductor when installed in non-metallic underground raceways.
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
Insulated. if there is a ground fault, and the EGC gets hot, the insulation will protect the ungrounded conductors. I read this in Soares.
Plus the insulated are easier to pull, less likely to be damaged as the smaller sizes bare wires tie them selfs in knots when you are not looking.
Plus the insulated are easier to pull, less likely to be damaged as the smaller sizes bare wires tie them selfs in knots when you are not looking.
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
A correctly sized EGC along with a correctly sized and functioning OCPD, should limit the temperature rise on the EGC enough so that the circuit conductors are not damaged by the heat from the fault current on the EGC.
brian john
Senior Member
- Location
- Leesburg, VA
Up, down, plastic, metal (residential), EGC in conduit, conduit as the sole EGC, tape devices, don't tape devices, twist, don't twist. Unless specified these are personal preferences, much like bare or insulated EGC's.
For the record I generally utilize insulated, because that is what we have.
For the record I generally utilize insulated, because that is what we have.
There are some applications that require an insulated EGC such as 517.13(B) and 680.23(B)(3) for a couple of examples but, there is not a blanket prohibition of bare EGC's
Roger
- Status