Bare ground in emt

[dcooper]

Was wiring a boiler and the inspector mentioned to me it was a violation to change over romex to emt because you can not have a bare ground in emt pipe (assuming you strip it back, which is how I was taught to do it)...
I used mc so it wasn't an issue but it brought up a discussion. He was supposed to email me the the article ( just for my knowledge) but he didn't.
He said it is widely enforced in the city by all 4 wiring inspectors, especially on service changeovers...
I've never heard of this......
Anyone???!

 

[ActionDave]

There no rule against a bare ground in emt. There is a bit of discussion about whether or not you should take the sheathing off NM when sleeving it.

 

[Ponchik]

Maybe it is a local requirement.

 

[iwire]

Maybe it is a local requirement.

If it is it is a stupid one.

Would they prohibit a bare ground in a metal box?

 

[GoldDigger]

Maybe it is a local requirement.

If it is, it would be hard to justify. But then the Chicago and NY rules are hard to justify too.
Bare wire may be harder to pull though.

If the environment is corrosive, a bare wire would be more vulnerable. But they are always bare inside boxes.

mobile

 

[Ponchik]

Was the conduit inside or outside of the building?

 

[infinity]

EGC's are permitted to be bare and bare conductors are permitted in metallic conduits.

250.118 Types of Equipment Grounding Conductors.
The equipment grounding conductor run with or enclosing
the circuit conductors shall be one or more or a combina-
tion of the following:
(1) A copper, aluminum, or copper-clad aluminum con-
ductor. This conductor shall be solid or stranded; in-
sulated, covered, or bare; and in the form of a wire or
a busbar of any shape.

 

[dcooper]

Was the conduit inside or outside of the building?

It was inside

 

[dcooper]

It doesn't make sense to me.... You would run the bare conductor to a ground screw in a metal box..... I gotta email him on this

 

[peter d]

I've heard this same nonsense from a city inspector in RI, although it was only stated that you can't run NM cable in a raceway. :roll::roll:

I'll say it again - there's a reason why some of us will avoid permits and inspections wherever possible.

 

[Ponchik]

Was the conduit inside or outside of the building?

It was inside

The only reason I asked was if you were outside maybe inspector was TRYING to say that you can not have NM cable outside. But I guess that was not the case.

 

[ggunn]

You might not want to do it, though. The pull might be more difficult with a solid bare copper ground in the bundle than it would be with a green stranded THWN-2, especially if it's not a straight pull.