Insulated GEC Identification

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Re: Insulated GEC Identification

An insulated GEC does allow you to test the resistance of a made or footer ( wood frame only ) electrodes on a multigrounded systems by connecting it to a live voltage and a clamp-on ammeter which is essentially how a clamp-on ground resistance tester works. Could or could not result in a short circuit when testing a water main or building steel ground.
 
Re: Insulated GEC Identification

Originally posted by sandsnow:
Isn't the neutral buss in a service panel the grounded circuit conductor??? Of course it's not grounded until you run the conductor from the ground electrode to it, but to me that's just semantics.
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It's grounded without ever knowing a grounding electrode at the building served. It's grounded at the utility's equipment. :p
 
Re: Insulated GEC Identification

Originally posted by georgestolz:
Originally posted by sandsnow:
Isn't the neutral buss in a service panel the grounded circuit conductor??? Of course it's not grounded until you run the conductor from the ground electrode to it, but to me that's just semantics.
Click to expand...
It's grounded without ever knowing a grounding electrode at the building served. It's grounded at the utility's equipment. :eek: Darn forest gettin' in the way!! Can't see the trees
Click to expand...
 
Re: Insulated GEC Identification

I figured. :)

Stupid trees. :D
04-clearcut-with-stump.jpg
 
Re: Insulated GEC Identification

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck would chuck wood? :roll:
 
Re: Insulated GEC Identification

Technically, 1999 NEC allowed a green wire to be reidentified as a hot or neutral wire by taping or painting it a color other than green. I know of an instance where a licensed electrical contractor did a commercial electric stove circuit back in 1983 with green THWN recolored with black tape as the hot wires!

Please also note that the wording in 2005 NEC still allows a green with white stripe wire in a control cable to be a legitimate hot lead. Same for white with black stripe and so forth. The new rule is that wire #4 ( green ) on a control cable or cord can ONLY be used as a GEC. I have worked on quite a few double insulated pushbutton stations for bridge cranes where wire #4 ( green ) and wire #2 ( white ) were hot leads indeed ALL the wires were hot leads.

By the way, in Germany and some other countries ground was originally red which was wire #3 in the original ( Western Union ) color code for insulated cables. This was because by the time Germany got electricity they decided to ground everything except toasters and live front switchboards. Therefore, it made sense to use wire #3 as the EGC. Here in the U.S. only 3-phase appliances were grounded for quite some time, therefore we used wire #4 ( green ) as the EGC. There are similar historical reasons for how in England and a few other contries wire #6 ( blue ) became neutral.

Just goes to show that you should NEVER assume that a given color is not hot.
 
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