MC Cable, Conductors in conduit markings ect..

jim dungar said:
When you have stripped off the cable sheath, do you still have a cable or do you now have individual conductors?
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Ok I’m going to simplify all of this. We all understand and know that an unmarked conductor is not compliant. But for what application? MC going into a switch box the conductors from the MC are unmarked in the switch box… 310.8 does NOT say or anywhere else say you can NOT strip the sheathing of MC and place an EMT to MC transition fitting on the end of the conduit and slide the conductors from the mc down the conduit and secure the MC at the transition fitting. I know and understand that an MC directly to a switch box and going through conduit to a switch box are different things but it’s still the same “unmarked wire” so there’s absolutely NO code reference saying the unmarked conductors can’t enter a conduit?? It only says all conductors must be marked and if they are unmarked they aren’t compliant even though like my example says the conductors from the MC into the switch box aren’t marked and that is compliant? Makes no sense
 
jim dungar said:
When you have stripped off the cable sheath, do you still have a cable or do you now have individual conductors?
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We have individual conductors that part of the jacket has been removed. And by removing part of the jacket there is no code section that says the removed jacket portion can not be in a conduit.
 
I found this from Southwire.

Southwire Romex® Brand SIMpull® (nonmetallic-sheathed) Cable may be used for both exposed and concealed work in drylocations with ampacity limited to that for 60°C conductors as specified in the National Electrical Code® (NEC). Individual conductor insulation is rated 90°C as required by the NEC and by the UL product standard (UL 719) for terminations in lightingfixtures. NM-B cable is primarily used in residential wiring as branch circuits for outlets, switches, and other loads. NM-Bcable may be run in air voids of masonry block or tile walls where such walls are not wet or damp locations. Voltage rating for NM-B cable is 600 volts. Individual conductors within Type NM-B Cable are not listed or marked as THHN conductors (or any other NEC recognized conductor type) and are not permitted to be installed apart from the complete Type NM-B Cable.Conductors routed inside panelboards and boxes (without the cable jacket) for termination therein are considered part of the complete Type NM-B Cable.


For OP, something similar may apply.
 
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I suppose the MC cable is OK to be stripped and installed in race way.

From Southwire for the MC cable


Southwire Armorlite® Type AC Cable is suitable for use as follows:
- Branch and service power distribution in commercial, industrial, institutional, and multi-residential buildings.
- Fished or embedded in plaster.
- Concealed or exposed installations.
- Dry locations only.
- Environmental air-handling spaces per NEC 300.22 (C).
- Installation in cable tray and approved raceways.
- Under raised floors for information technology equipment conductors and cables per NEC Article 645
- Conductors are individually wrapped with a moisture-resistant, flame-retardant paper covering
- Type THHN/THWN rated 90ºC Dry.
- Anti-Short bushing are required
 
Ponchik said:
I found this from Southwire.

Southwire Romex® Brand SIMpull® (nonmetallic-sheathed) Cable may be used for both exposed and concealed work in drylocations with ampacity limited to that for 60°C conductors as specified in the National Electrical Code® (NEC). Individual conductor insulation is rated 90°C as required by the NEC and by the UL product standard (UL 719) for terminations in lightingfixtures. NM-B cable is primarily used in residential wiring as branch circuits for outlets, switches, and other loads. NM-Bcable may be run in air voids of masonry block or tile walls where such walls are not wet or damp locations. Voltage rating for NM-B cable is 600 volts. Individual conductors within Type NM-B Cable are not listed or marked as THHN conductors (or any other NEC recognized conductor type) and are not permitted to be installed apart from the complete Type NM-B Cable.Conductors routed inside panelboards and boxes (without the cable jacket) for termination therein are considered part of the complete Type NM-B Cable.


For OP, something similar may apply.
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That’s good. So I would assume it applies for MC too then so you can run the whole mc cable through the conduit and then strip it off inside the box or panel but can’t strip the mc then sleeve the conductors in the conduit if they are not marked. This is all clear and I already knew this just trying to find word for word clarification in the NEC but they just don’t do it. Which they need to do..
 
Ponchik said:
I suppose the MC cable is OK to be stripped and installed in race way.

From Southwire for the MC cable


Southwire Armorlite® Type AC Cable is suitable for use as follows:
- Branch and service power distribution in commercial, industrial, institutional, and multi-residential buildings.
- Fished or embedded in plaster.
- Concealed or exposed installations.
- Dry locations only.
- Environmental air-handling spaces per NEC 300.22 (C).
- Installation in cable tray and approved raceways.
- Under raised floors for information technology equipment conductors and cables per NEC Article 645
- Conductors are individually wrapped with a moisture-resistant, flame-retardant paper covering
- Type THHN/THWN rated 90ºC Dry.
- Anti-Short bushing are required
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The information you posted is for AC cable not MC cable. It is also referring to the cable assembly being installed in a tray or raceway not the individual conductors.
 
My Mistake.

here is for the MC cable. At least for teh MC cable it doesn't prohibit the use of conductors outside of the jacket. For the NM cable it specifically prohibits it,

Southwire Armorlite® Jacketed Type MC Cable is suitable for use as follows:
- Branch and service power distribution in commercial, industrial, institutional, and multi-residential buildings.
- Where exposed to cinder fills, strong chlorides, caustic alkalis, or vapors of chlorine or of hydrochloric acids.
- Fished or embedded in plaster.
- Concealed or exposed installations.
- Suitable for Wet Location per NEC 330.10(A)(11)
- Places of Assembly per NEC 518.4 and theaters per NEC 520.5.
- Installation in cable tray and approved raceways, or as aerial cable on a messenger.
- Under raised floors for information technology equipment conductors and cables per NEC Article 645
- Class I Div. 2, Class II Div 2, & Class III Div. 1 Hazardous Locations.
- Type THHN/THWN rated 90ºC Dry/ 75ºC Wet
- Anti-Short bushing not required
 
infinity said:
Anyone agree with this from Paul?
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Not familiar with the versions of MC that use a marking tape--would it be feasible to keep the marking tape intact and route it with the conductors through the EMT?

As a practical matter, if you have MC cable with marking tape that terminates directly to a box, is the marking tape visible from within the box? If not, then removing the marking tape and routing the conductors through some EMT doesn't yield any difference in identifying information available after the installation is complete.

In other words, if the marking tape's job is just to provide the identification of conductors at the time of installation, rather than at some future time, it does that job equally well when the MC terminates directly to a box as when the MC is transitioned to EMT with the marking tape removed. Either way the installer can look at the marking tape and confirm the identity of the conductors.

Cheers, Wayne
 
wwhitney said:
Not familiar with the versions of MC that use a marking tape--would it be feasible to keep the marking tape intact and route it with the conductors through the EMT?

As a practical matter, if you have MC cable with marking tape that terminates directly to a box, is the marking tape visible from within the box? If not, then removing the marking tape and routing the conductors through some EMT doesn't yield any difference in identifying information available after the installation is complete.

In other words, if the marking tape's job is just to provide the identification of conductors at the time of installation, rather than at some future time, it does that job equally well when the MC terminates directly to a box as when the MC is transitioned to EMT with the marking tape removed. Either way the installer can look at the marking tape and confirm the identity of the conductors.

Cheers, Wayne
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Well the 500kcmill AL stabiloy MC I just pulled in for feeders actually did have a “yellow marking tape” within the cable assembly. It could have easily been cut out but instead I followed code and routed those un marked individual conductors along with the marking tape through a “pass through junction box” directly down conduit into my panel. So the marking tape is in the panel along with the un marked wire through the conduit.

But I agree 310.8 isn’t firm enough in its totality when saying “unmarked conductors” aren’t compliant because it doesn’t specify in conduit because otherwise MC without marking tape or marked conductors wouldn’t be compliant to use at all
 
Alright well long story short. We have came to conclusion that ANY wire used outside of its original manufacturing sheathing is prohibited unless conductors have markings according to 310.8 OR has marking tape which was in the sheathing from manufacturing.

MC going into a box is in it’s original manufacturing sheathing so that’s compliant regardless if there’s marking tape or identifying conductors within the sheething

MC transitioning to EMT must have the info I stated above or it’s not compliant

This also goes with NM cable as well
 
Can a box not be considered a raceway also?

If any conductor "outside" of it's original sheath is considered "prohibited if not marked", then, it would be prohibited to use any unmarked conductors coming out of the MC or NM going into or through a box also seeing as how the outside sheath stops at the termination of the box and the conductors only are what extend to the inside of the box.

Jap>
 
jap said:
Can a box not be considered a raceway also?

If any conductor "outside" of it's original sheath is considered "prohibited if not marked", then, it would be prohibited to use any unmarked conductors coming out of the MC or NM going into or through a box also seeing as how the outside sheath stops at the termination of the box and the conductors only are what extend to the inside of the box.

Jap>
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A box considered a raceway?.. go look up the definition of raceway in art 100 and you tell me if a box can be considered a raceway. Sheesh
 
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