# 6 ground wire has to be green, not taped.

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I feel better about marking a piece of 6 Green "black" the other day. Had the green, no color.

Kind of a minor violation. Heck it works. What difference does it make. It's insulated and if you can't tell what it is by where it is going, eventually, you shouldn't be on the job. I didn't know I would need any. It was 50 miles to the shop. :rolleyes:
 
Some of the responses here remind me of how I see the difference between some small shops and larger shops.
Poor planning as has been mentioned does not allow/permit for the incorrect installation.

As I see it, I also see this as a pretty common violation...and I will speak to the installer/EC as to the correction necessary.

They will sometimes ask me to "let this one go", which is basically asking me to put my head in the noose so they can move on.

I wonder sometimes how there are so many small contractors who do seem to get it correct, yet the ones who don't cannot seem to understand...I think it mostly boils down to improper planning.
 
I just had a brainstorm

I just had a brainstorm

Propose the allowance of green heat shrink it is reasonably priced and it is permanant and will not come off. You can get it in bulk on ebay pretty cheap.
 
Easy Money said:
Pulled conductors in thru pvc pipe underground, from the main panel to a sub panel. Pulled in a # 6 cu for the ground and taped it green. Was surprised when the inspector said the # 6 ground wire has to be green and could not be identified using green tape.
Took me awhile to find it but section 250.119 (A) does cover it. Has to be larger than # 6 to be able to identify the ground wire using green tape.
What a surprise! I use # 10 green wire but always taped the black # 8 and/ or # 6 with green tape to identify it as a ground wire.
What's the reason or logic for having to use green wire as the ground, when using wire smaller than # 4. The code allows you to use tape to identify the phase legs when using #8 or #6 wire but you can't use tape on the same size ground wire! I appreciate your thoughts and ideas.
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Yeah, I have a roll of green #6 and a roll of # 8 green Ive had for a long time. The #6 roll goes quicker because I use it for connecting to ground rods.
 
roger said:
Not by code.

Roger
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Roger, although it does'nt say anything about color, it is allowed to be insulated.
250.62 Grounding Electrode Conductor Material
The grounding electrode conductor shall be of copper, aluminum, or copper-clad aluminum. The material selected shall be resistant to any corrosive condition existing at the installation or shall be suitably protected against corrosion. The conductor shall be solid or stranded, insulated, covered, or bare.
 
Check out 250.119

Green is more or less reserved for EGCs.

Although it looks like 250.119 was changed in 2005 and it appears that is does not prohibit the GEC from being green.
 
RUWired said:
Roger, although it does'nt say anything about color, it is allowed to be insulated.
250.62 Grounding Electrode Conductor Material
The grounding electrode conductor shall be of copper, aluminum, or copper-clad aluminum. The material selected shall be resistant to any corrosive condition existing at the installation or shall be suitably protected against corrosion. The conductor shall be solid or stranded, insulated, covered, or bare.
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I agree Rick, I have to retract my earlier post but I will add, that if we use an insulated conductor it can be any color except white or gray. :smile:

Roger
 
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The NEC has no color requirement for bonding jumpers or GEC. Having said that, I feel there are some colors it shouldn't be:
White or gray
Perhaps green as green is only allowed for an EGC.
Orange
 
I can't believe this has gone on for this many pages! Code is code. If you don't want to follow the code as it is written, please find another profession. Anyone in the trade can submit a proposal to have the code changed. If you don't like a rule, work to have it changed, don't just ignore it. If an inspector allows or does not catch a violation, it does not cease to be a violation. The NEC is concerned ONLY with safety. The code-making-panel has determined that it is "safer" for smaller conductors to be colored along their entire length rather than taped at the terminations. If you disagree, work to get it changed. In the meantime follow the code. The code is not intended to make your job easy or inexpensive, just safe. Quit your crying and follow the code. You may argue that taping conductors is not unsafe, but that does not change the code. The code making panels has determined that some danger exists. Until and unless it is changed, it is there to be followed.
 
The NEC is concerned ONLY with safety
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That's why they allow exposed cables and unfused service entrance conductors in a house.



You have more faith in the system than I do. If someone could offer an explanation why the taping thing is unsafe, I'm all ears.
 
220/221 said:
That's why they allow exposed cables and unfused service entrance conductors in a house.
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I'm not quite sure what you mean by "exposed cables." Regardless, we have lots of exposed cables of every kind around here, and they aren't causing any problems, so in that sense they are very safe.
 
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