Insulated Grounds

[gardiner]

I am doing a project in DC and just been informed of what and engineer says is a NEC code on having Insulated Grounds on all receptacles in an office enviorment this code was suppose to be inefect since 1998. Now in truth I have never heard of anything like this before and the person he relayed this message through was not given a code reference (I believe because there is none).
Has ANYONE ever heard of such a thing and if it is real what is the code. The engineer in question seems reluctant to return my calls and
I think this may be his way of stopping certain products being used on the project thinking he could just say something and we would accept it without enquiring any further.

 

[tom baker]

Re: Insulated Grounds

An equipment grounding conductor must be installed to meet 250.118. Often a raceway or cable can be the EGC.
The NEC does not require an insulated EGC, I recommend it, however. Local codes may require it as well.

 

[tom baker]

Re: Insulated Grounds



[ January 14, 2004, 09:04 PM: Message edited by: tom baker ]

 

[dereckbc]

Re: Insulated Grounds

Is this in a telephone office, and is it a DC equipment ground?

 

[gardiner]

Re: Insulated Grounds

No it is a regular office and just a normal ground to a 120v receptacle. These are part of a modular system that has been in use for a few years and never heard of this. According to this engineer most modular furniture manufacturers would have this same problem and not be able to run their systems as most modular systems use one insulated and one bare ground in them. Thus the insulated handles the IG circuits and the bare handles any other receptacles. This has been common practice in furniture for a long time and according to what this gentleman is trying to say it is not allowed and he says it is in the NEC although offers no code to back what he says, I am either looking for a code saying you must use an insulated ground for all receptacles or one that says you can use a bare ground, anyone help, please?

 

[steve66]

Re: Insulated Grounds

The only things I see that he may be talking about:
605.3 Partition Interconnections have to be a flexible assembly made for that purpose, or a flexible cord with an insulated grounding conductor.

605.8 Partitions may be cord and plug connected if the cord has an insulated grounding conductor.

Neither really requires a simple ground wire to be insulated.

STeve

 

[bwyllie]

Re: Insulated Grounds

Is he referring to Isolated Grounds?

 

[pierre]

Re: Insulated Grounds

250.118(1) A copper, aluminum, or copper-clad aluminum conductor. This conductor shall be solid or stranded;insulated, covered, or bare; and in the form of a wire or a busbar of any shape.
(from the 2002 NEC)

This should help, as long as there are no local ordinances.

Pierre