grounding metal box ?

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I'm thinking the amount of conductor entering the box??

Several times at the ceu classes I went to the instructor (electrical inspectors) mentioned about not doing this..... to leave wire before attaching...
 
ritelec said:
Hello............

Is this correct?
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I've always favored this EGC routing as shown in the photo, as, in my opinion, less box volume is used up and the routing of the EGC is a little more controlled.
 
al hildenbrand said:
I've always favored this EGC routing as shown in the photo, as, in my opinion, less box volume is used up and the routing of the EGC is a little more controlled.
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E.G's defy the laws of physics. If they are all the same size they only count as one......... :)
 
mwm1752 said:
free conductor is not spliced -- as long as 6" of continuous conductor exist for terminations or splicing
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I know that is a common read of that section but I am not sure I agree that is what the NEC requires.

Let's say a wire comes up short, say a drywall guy hit it with the router leaving only 2" of conductor. That would be a violation.

Now I come to put the device in place so I butt splice more conductor onto that 2" conductor resulting in 6" of free conductor.

In my opinion my repair removes the violation.
 
mwm1752 said:
free conductor is not spliced -- as long as 6" of continuous conductor exist for terminations or splicing
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That word "free" has me.......
if the ground is clamped down by that screw as in the picture, it is not free (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLCEUpIg8rE) 6" from where it emerges from the sheath.. I would think??

I do prefer as mentioned doing as pictured, but since the comment from the instructor/inspector, I now leave the length..
 
ritelec said:
That word "free" has me.......
if the ground is clamped down by that screw as in the picture, it is not free (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLCEUpIg8rE) 6" from where it emerges from the sheath.. I would think??

I do prefer as mentioned doing as pictured, but since the comment from the instructor/inspector, I now leave the length..
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Are you saying you have 6" of bare wire before it reaches the ground screw? I can't believe that was the intent.
 
electricman2 said:
Are you saying you have 6" of bare wire before it reaches the ground screw? I can't believe that was the intent.
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I've heard that is what's required although I tend to disagree. If you removed the conductor from the screw you would still have 6" of conductor but when under the screw would it meet the definition of "free conductor"?

Mike Holt has this graphic similar to the OP:

250-s148C-01-UN250-s196web2.jpg
 
I usually push the EGC into the corner of the box, then bring it back to the grounding screw. It might not be a full 6" every time, but it leaves a little bit of wiggle room in the event it breaks at the screw or you want to do something else with it later.
 
Most overlook the fact that unless a box is 8" or more in any direction, then you don't need 6". You only have to have wire long enough to extend 3" outside the opening.

300.14
 
Little Bill said:
Most overlook the fact that unless a box is 8" or more in any direction, then you don't need 6". You only have to have wire long enough to extend 3" outside the opening.

300.14
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Not true. Re-read 300.14, it's both 6" free and 3" past the front of the box.

Mark
 
to me it says "length of free conductors"

if a raceway or sheath enters a box, by nature of the wiring method the cables should already exposed..... so I would think all they would really need to say is length of conductor.

Now, if I bring several conductors into a box and have them 6" long...............if I tie wrap them at 2" into the box,either to the box or to each other, are they still 6" of free conductor.....??

:D
 
iwire said:
I know that is a common read of that section but I am not sure I agree that is what the NEC requires.

Let's say a wire comes up short, say a drywall guy hit it with the router leaving only 2" of conductor. That would be a violation.

Now I come to put the device in place so I butt splice more conductor onto that 2" conductor resulting in 6" of free conductor.

In my opinion my repair removes the violation.
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I would say a router cutting wire is a special type provision - Are you implying that any spliced conductor could be 2" as long as the pigtail is 6"?

The free conductor I mentioned is pertaining to when it emerges from the sheath & the continuous comment is based on the lenght after ground screw. It might have been better to reverse the terms as continuous conductor is not spliced and the free conductor is 6" - my bad -- Toemato/Tamatoe -- abracadabra poof done
 
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mwm1752 said:
Are you implying that any spliced conductor could be 2" as long as the pigtail is 6"?
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no...I'm asking if a tie wraped wire is free if it's tie wraped.. I would think it is if it were one conductor that was tie wrapped..
I think if you tie wrap two conductors together, then both conductors are not free from each other..
I think if you tie wrap the two conductors and mount that tie wrap to the box, they are definitely not free... :D

mwm1752 said:
emerges from the sheath & the continuous comment is based on the lenght after ground screw.
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"based on the lenght after ground screw"

????
I don't see that in my book ?
 
I know that I am in a very small minority, maybe even a group of only one, that says you don't need any specific length after you have made the splice or termination.

The rule requires that the installer of the conductor to leave a specific length to be used when the conductor is spliced or terminated. It does not say that the person installing the device or making the splice has to leave that length.
 
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