GEC vs ECG

[kwhirschjr]

What is the color requirements for the different uses, and where is the reference in the 2014 code book? I know that the color of the ECG (Equipment Grounding Conductor) is generally green but I am confused as to the color of the GEC (Grounding Electrode Conductor). :?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

The grounding electrode conductor is not required to be marked. The equipment grounding conductor can be bare or green etc

 

[Dennis Alwon]

BTW, no code article because there isn't one.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Here is the article for the equipment grounding conductor

250.119 Identification of Equipment Grounding Conductors.
Unless required elsewhere in this Code, equipment
grounding conductors shall be permitted to be bare,
covered, or insulated. Individually covered or insulated
equipment grounding conductors shall have a continuous
outer finish that is either green or green with one or more
yellow stripes except as permitted in this section. Conductors
with insulation or individual covering that is green,
green with one or more yellow stripes, or otherwise identified
as permitted by this section shall not be used for ungrounded
or grounded circuit conductors.


Exception No. 1: Power-limited Class 2 or Class 3 cables,
power-limited fire alarm cables, or communications cables
containing only circuits operating at less than 50 volts
where connected to equipment not required to be grounded in
accordance with 250.112(I) shall be permitted to use a conductor
with green insulation or green with one or more yellow
stripes for other than equipment grounding purposes.


Exception No. 2: Flexible cords having an integral insulation
and jacket without an equipment grounding conductor
shall be permitted to have a continuous outer finish that is
green.


Informational Note: An example of a flexible cord with
integral-type insulation is Type SPT-2, 2 conductor.


Exception No. 3: Conductors with green insulation shall be
permitted to be used as ungrounded signal conductors
where installed between the output terminations of traffıc
signal control and traffıc signal indicating heads. Signaling
circuits installed in accordance with this exception shall
include an equipment grounding conductor in accordance
with 250.118. Wire-type equipment grounding conductors
shall be bare or have insulation or covering that is green
with one or more yellow stripes.

 

[infinity]

The GEC can be bare or any color other than white or grey which is reserved for grounded or neutral conductors.

 

[Carultch]

The GEC can be bare or any color other than white or grey which is reserved for grounded or neutral conductors.

Red and black have reserved applications in DC circuits, and orange has a reserved application in high leg deltas. Could the GEC be any of these colors in theory?

In practice, I'd expect to see it green or bare. And if it starts black, I'd expect to see green tape.

 

[jumper]

Red and black have reserved applications in DC circuits, and orange has a reserved application in high leg deltas. Could the GEC be any of these colors in theory?

In theory or in practice it could be any of those colors. Hot pink is recommended

In practice, I'd expect to see it green or bare. And if it starts black, I'd expect to see green tape.

Tape not required. Green or bare not required for GEC.

 

[Carultch]

In theory or in practice it could be any of those colors. Hot pink is recommended

That will make it green in a negative afterimage.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Red and black have reserved applications in DC circuits, and orange has a reserved application in high leg deltas. Could the GEC be any of these colors in theory?

In practice, I'd expect to see it green or bare. And if it starts black, I'd expect to see green tape.

Those colors are not reserved. There is nothing in those sections that prohibit the use of those colors for other applications.

There is a prohibition on the use of white, gray and green for other applications, so those colors are reserved. Prior to the 2005 code, the NEC did not actually reserve the color green for EGC. It required the use of green for EGC, but there was no statement that prohibited using green for ungrounded conductors.

As far as green tape on a GEC, if the person working on the system needs to see green tape of a GEC, he or she has no business working on the system.