Ground wire and fastening to the grid.

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Highlow

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Hello all. I work in maintenance in the office building. Contractors just finished a large job. It was no inspection in the end. A few new 2x4 lights I checked, not fastened to the grid in anyway and also Metal clad cable MC or BX has either ground cut off or they ran BX with aluminum small ground. I thought that you not allowed using that cable. My understanding that you had to have separate path for the ground. Not including jacket of the cable witch is aluminum? Is that code violation? Thanks
P.S. Clips on the lights not used to fasten them or using ceiling tie wires to the trusses and secure lights to them?
:confused:
 
Not good at all. Lights should be independently supported to building structure. Cutting of the grounds in not at all to code. Are the bx wires properly supported independently of ceiling grid wires? New wiring installed should have been inspected. Time for a call back in my book. Good luck.
 
Wires not supported

Wires not supported

Wires, of course not supported. Is BX still allowed to be used in office building?
 
"Properly installed" BX is great for offices above dropped ceiling or wherever. Sounds like they may have mixed in some armored cable with a sep grounding wire too... I'd want it checked out all the way around. Just my opinion. I'll hush and see what others here think....
 
Is BX still allowed to be used in office building?
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BX is a trade name for AC cable. AC cable has the small aluminum bond strip in contact with the sheath for grounding purposes. AC cable is an acceptable wiring method for an office building.

BX has either ground cut off or they ran BX with aluminum small ground.
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Are you saying that the AC cable has the small aluminum bonding wire just cut off?

If that is the case then that is OK because the sheath of the AC cable is the EGC and the bonding wire need not be terminated in any way.

If on the other hand you are talking about MC cable with the insulated wire EGC then you must terminate that wire properly.

As far as securing the fixtures to the grid or to the structure with independant wires take a look at 300.11. Also if you are in a seismic area there most likely will be building code requirements for seismic securing of the lights.

Chris
 
First, you need to know if it is Type MC or Type AC cable. Just because the cable has a metal armor doesn't mean that it is BX.

The old BX was Type AC cable and is dangerous. The new Type AC doesn't need a grounding wire since the internal bonding strip is copper or aluminum in intimate contact with the armor for its entire length and may be cut off or turned back at the terminations. Type MC doesn't require anti-short bushings and is not listed for grounding so it has a separate grounding conductor included in the cable. :smile:
 
charlie said:
First, you need to know if it is Type MC or Type AC cable. Just because the cable has a metal armor doesn't mean that it is BX.

The old BX was Type AC cable and is dangerous. The new Type AC doesn't need a grounding wire since the internal bonding strip is copper or aluminum in intimate contact with the armor for its entire length and may be cut off or turned back at the terminations. Type MC doesn't require anti-short bushings and is not listed for grounding so it has a separate grounding conductor included in the cable. :smile:
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I would have said the really old BX. AC cable has required the bonding strip for almost 60 years which is in itself, old. :rolleyes:
 
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