hospital grade MC

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drbond24

drbond24

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Barboursville, West Virginia
I know this is probably a simple question, but what is the difference between standard MC cable and 'hospital grade' MC cable?

I've read what I can find in the NEC and I can't find a satisfactory answer.
 
In addition to your normal insulated equipment grd. Their is a little grd wire that runs a long the lenth on the inside of the MC Cable to help provide continuity.
 
drbond24 said:
I know this is probably a simple question, but what is the difference between standard MC cable and 'hospital grade' MC cable?

I've read what I can find in the NEC and I can't find a satisfactory answer.
Click to expand...

"Standard" MC's sheath does not qualify the sheath as an EGC per 250.118
HC grade MC's sheath does qualify as an EGC.
The difference being the sheath's interlocking armour.

New Form of MC Cable Crosses Application Boundaries
 
Yes, you can se the little grd. wire in the picture in the link provided by celtic. It's on the left down near the metal sheath. I think it's an aluminum wire.
 
buckofdurham said:
Yes, you can se the little grd. wire in the picture in the link provided by celtic. It's on the left down near the metal sheath. I think it's an aluminum wire.
Click to expand...

Here is a better shot:
490673.jpg



That "little" wire is actually a #10!
http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/490673
 
Okay. What do you call this cable when you want to order it? "HAC"? (trade name)?
 
drbond24 said:
I know this is probably a simple question, but what is the difference between standard MC cable and 'hospital grade' MC cable?
Click to expand...

There is no "hospital grade MC" cable that I am aware of, other than the MC-Ap already mentioned. The "classic" hospital grade cable is actually Type AC cable.
 
here's a link to southwire's hospital grade MCapwww.southwire.com/ProductCatalog/proddetail.jsp?htmlpreview=true&token=278&desc=HCF%20MC-AP%... - 73k -
 
llbeach said:
HCF McAp would direct yo to the Southwire products or HCF MC will get you to all others. :rolleyes:
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I'm not sure what you're trying to say. But other than Southwire's relatively new product, there is no such thing as "HCF MC."
 
drbond24 said:
I know this is probably a simple question, but what is the difference between standard MC cable and 'hospital grade' MC cable?

I've read what I can find in the NEC and I can't find a satisfactory answer.
Click to expand...

Regardless if it is AC or MC the actually difference from the standard products is that there are two listed grounding conductors. Many hospital circuits require redundent ground fault paths.

The metal jackets of AC and MCap are both grounding conductors and the hospital grade versions of these cables also have a green insulated EGC as well.

Before the recent introduction of MCap there was no such thing as Hospital grade MC, only hospital grade AC was available. It appears that AC will be phased out in favor of MCap.
 
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