Number 6 green?

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ritelec

Senior Member
Location
Jersey
I believe for a gec number 6 does not need to be green but can be black.

Confirming please the the bond to csst piping does not need to be green and can also be black

Thank you
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Green is for equipment grounding conductors.

There is nothing in NEC that specifies any specific color for grounding electrode conductors, though there are some out there that still think it needs to be green, some are inspectors that won't listen to reason when you try to explain there is no color requirements at all for GEC's. I usually run into this with larger conductors and all that is needed to shut them up is some green tape - but they still won't listen:happysad:
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
There is a reasonable argument to say that you cannot use colors designated for grounded conductors but any other color will work.
 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
I believe for a gec number 6 does not need to be green but can be black.

Confirming please the the bond to csst piping does not need to be green and can also be black

Thank you

I do not think the bonding wire to CSST is a GEC, since you are not allowed to use gas pipe as a GE. Therefore, it appears it cannot be a GEC.

However, it is not an EGC either and as far as I can recall, as another poster mentioned, only EGCs have to be green if insulated.
 

ritelec

Senior Member
Location
Jersey
There is a reasonable argument to say that you cannot use colors designated for grounded conductors but any other color will work.

???

Do I have an issue.

I was at the supply house when I asked the question. Was going to get black but the reel was too short and didn't want to put the counter guy out. The green was right next to it so I got green.

Forsee any problem with the green installed ?

Thanks
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
???

Do I have an issue.

I was at the supply house when I asked the question. Was going to get black but the reel was too short and didn't want to put the counter guy out. The green was right next to it so I got green.

Forsee any problem with the green installed ?

Thanks

Green is fine, we've been using green for decades. White or Grey might be a problem since its typically dedicated to grounded conductors.
 

Carultch

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
???

Do I have an issue.

I was at the supply house when I asked the question. Was going to get black but the reel was too short and didn't want to put the counter guy out. The green was right next to it so I got green.

Forsee any problem with the green installed ?

Thanks

The way that I see it, is that if it is not built to carry current under ordinary circumstances, and is electrically continuous with the grounding electrode/building steel, then the colors of green, bare, or green w/ yellow stripes is precisely the color that it should be. Any such conductor would be a groundING conductor. And this is the proper identification for a grounding electrode conductor or an equipment grounding conductor. There are applications where you are allowed to combine the EGC & GEC as the same conductor, and therefore green being required for the EGC, would have to be permitted for the same wire that doubles as a GEC.

There indeed is a case you could make that it shouldn't be allowed to be white or gray, given that these are colors reserved for groundED conductors (often the neutral), but that is not the issue at the moment.

I would not be intentionally using black (or any other color not discussed above) for a GEC, unless it were all I had. Although I do not see any NEC restriction against it. And even then, I'd plan on taping it green later.
 
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ActionDave

Chief Moderator
Staff member
Location
Durango, CO, 10 h 20 min from the winged horses.
Occupation
Licensed Electrician
The way that I see it, is that if it is not built to carry current under ordinary circumstances, and is electrically continuous with the grounding electrode/building steel, then the colors of green, bare, or green w/ yellow stripes is precisely the color that it should be. Any such conductor would be a groundING conductor. And this is the proper identification for a grounding electrode conductor or an equipment grounding conductor. There are applications where you are allowed to combine the EGC & GEC as the same conductor, and therefore green being required for the EGC, would have to be permitted for the same wire that doubles as a GEC.

There indeed is a case you could make that it shouldn't be allowed to be white or gray, given that these are colors reserved for groundED conductors (often the neutral), but that is not the issue at the moment.

I would not be intentionally using black (or any other color not discussed above) for a GEC, unless it were all I had. Although I do not see any NEC restriction against it. And even then, I'd plan on taping it green later.
If one can't see that a wire tagged to a water pipe, gas pipe, or ground rod is not being used to carry normal current, regardless of insulation colour, then what business does that person have in any circumstance regarding that wire?
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
If one can't see that a wire tagged to a water pipe, gas pipe, or ground rod is not being used to carry normal current, regardless of insulation colour, then what business does that person have in any circumstance regarding that wire?
:thumbsup:

Or even realize that a single conductor routed by itself or alone in a raceway is nearly never a part of a feeder/branch circuit and is more likely a GEC/bonding jumper type of application.
 
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