12-4 MC cable, phase taping 1 of the hots white

[zappy]

Example, taping the red wire in a 12-4 MC cable white. Is it code Compliant? Thank you for your help.

 

[oldsparky52]

I do not believe it is.

 

[wwhitney]

See 200.6(E). Seems to require that "the conditions of maintenance and supervision ensure that only qualified persons service the installation" per exception 1.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[texie]

200.6(E) Exception 1 allows this. In a perfect word you would use 12-2-2 but it is not required.

 

[oldsparky52]

Around here tape is not accepted for re identifying conductors. In Virginia it was, and when I moved here I failed an inspection over using tape to re identify a conductor. It happened to be taping a white one black.

 

[texie]

Around here tape is not accepted for re identifying conductors. In Virginia it was, and when I moved here I failed an inspection over using tape to re identify a conductor. It happened to be taping a white one black.

OK, so if you are using NM cable how do you wire , say, a water heater?

 

[LarryFine]

Too bad we don't have Canadian NM, or what I like to call DC Romex, with black, red, and bare conductors.

Example, taping the red wire in a 12-4 MC cable white. Is it code Compliant? Thank you for your help.

Are you looking to have black, white, and white?

 

[texie]

Too bad we don't have Canadian NM, or what I like to call DC Romex, with black, red, and bare conductors.


Are you looking to have black, white, and white?

I'm thinking you meant black, red, white, white? I think that's what the OP was saying. Tape the blue with white and have a 12-2-2.

 

[LarryFine]

I'm thinking you meant black, red, white, white? I think that's what the OP was saying. Tape the blue with white and have a 12-2-2.

He did say 12-4, didn't he? My bad.

Between you and me, I'd do it without a big worry for a single run or two. Ask your inspector first if that's a concern.

I've stripped the red to use as the regular EGC with 12-3 MC, and the green as the isolated ground, for an IG circuit.

But, strictly speaking, no, it's not really compliant. Coloring the white as an ungrounded conductor is more acceptable.

 

[oldsparky52]

OK, so if you are using NM cable how do you wire , say, a water heater?

We are required to use a permanent marker to paint the white wire a color acceptable to be an ungrounded conductor.

Yes, crazy. Solid black tape seems fine with me. But nobody cares what I think. lol

 

[don_resqcapt19]

See 200.6(E). Seems to require that "the conditions of maintenance and supervision ensure that only qualified persons service the installation" per exception 1.

Cheers, Wayne

That restrictive condition was removed from the exception in the 2020 code.

 

[texie]

That restrictive condition was removed from the exception in the 2020 code.

We're still at the awkward point between editions where we need to sometimes be specific as to the edition we are referencing. I should have been more specific in my earlier post.

 

[texie]

We are required to use a permanent marker to paint the white wire a color acceptable to be an ungrounded conductor.

Yes, crazy. Solid black tape seems fine with me. But nobody cares what I think. lol

Got ya. I misunderstood you to mean you can't reidentify at all.