Can BAG wire be buried?

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bkludecke

Senior Member
Location
Big Bear Lake, CA
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
We have a utility company that requires the GEC to a driven ground rod to be armored ground cable (BAG), and we have a local inspector who contends that armored ground wire is not listed for direct burial. I've looked in the UL white book to no avail. Can someone help withthis?

Bob in Big Bear
 
bkludecke said:
Can someone help with this?
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I'd start with the manufacturer of the cable; if it's approved for such use, they'll have documentation saying so.

Besides, this can't be the first installation they've ever inspected with this cable in use. This should have been settled long ago. What's the inspectors recommendation that the POCO accepts?

Have the POCO and AHJ fight it out, and inform you when the dust settles.
 
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bkludecke,


Pardon my ignorance but what is Armored ground cable (BAG)? What does the initial BAG stand for?

I have obviously seen the grounding electrode conductor installed into a piece of Armored cable or Greenfield (Flexible metal conduit).

Thank you

Justin W.
 
Bare armored ground wire is used with listed fittings which have a cable clamp for the cable jacket and a lug & screw for the wire (Bridgeport #1308-B). They are not listed for direct burial though. It sounds like I have enough ammo to go up the utility co. food chain and get them to back off of requiring a non-compliant installation.

Bob
 
It sounds as if the Utility is trying to make sure that the ground is protected from severe physical damage.

FYI,
might it be possible to use #4 bare copper, or sleave the ground wire in pvc??
 
Is the armor on the cable alumninum? This could be the inspector's issue with use on a driven groound rod since alumninum in direct contact with the earth will deteriorate over a fairly short time span. Just a little food for thought?
Jim
 
BAG wire is usually armored with steel similar to 'Greenfild' flex. It is covered under UL standard 467 which will not allow burial or contact with earth. The fittings are also not marked for burial. The utility co. says it will only allow the BAG wiring method 'no exceptions' which puts them at odds with the NEC and the AHJ. Thanks to all of you and some local folks I can now have an intelligent dialog with the Utility co. people and I'm sure they will alter thier specs to be more in line with the rest of the planet.

Bob
 
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