NEC 555.37 b - e

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Camden123

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Location
Louisa Va
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Electrician
Context! Fixed boat houses on Lake Anna VA. I have done numerous boat houses and always run uf cable for all branch circuits. Any vertical runs outside of enclosed rooms are put in pvc conduit and appropriate wp boxes and covers. All runs in storage areas and tikki rooms are with just uf and no conduit but normal nail on boxes. My EGC is # 8 bare to anything metal, to include ladders. The jurisdiction in question is now saying that EGC has to be insulated and the grounds in the branch circuits have to be insulated grounds and uf no longer qualifies and the branch circuits need to be in conduit with thhn or the like. Is this AHJ correct in this interpretation and if so why the change.
Footnote! I am using a 2020 nec and the 555 article seems to have different or additional information from the 2017
 
Welcome to the forum is your jurisdiction on the 2017 NEC?

In 2017 Article 553 (not 555) covered wiring, services, feeders, and grounding for floating buildings.
In 2017 Article 555 covered:
the installation of wiring
and equipment in the areas comprising fixed or floating piers,
wharves, docks, and other areas in marinas, boatyards, boat
basins, boathouses, yacht clubs, boat condominiums, docking
facilities associated with one-family dwellings, two-family
dwellings, multifamily dwellings, and residential condominiums; any multiple docking facility or similar occupancies; and
facilities that are used, or intended for use, for the purpose of
repair, berthing, launching, storage, or fueling of small craft and
the moorage of floating buildings.
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All wiring under the scope of article 555 has been required to have an insulated equipment grounding conductor since the articles inception in 1968.
Branch circuit wiring under the scope of 553 (added in the 1987 NEC) was not required to have an insulated equipment ground as of the 2017 NEC.

However the entire article 553 was deleted in the 2020 NEC, and the scope of article 555 now covers floating buildings in Part III. And per 555.54(C) equipment grounds have to be insulated.
 
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Correction looking at the 2017 NEC closer it appears 553.8(C) requires all equipment grounds to be insulated.
 
I just checked the 2014 and its not there so the insulated EGC requirement seems to have been added in the 2017 NEC.
 
tortuga said:
I just checked the 2014 and its not there so the insulated EGC requirement seems to have been added in the 2017 NEC.
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The 2014 is identical to the 2017. That requirement was added in the 2005 code. Prior to that only the feeder EGC had to be insulated.
 
tortuga said:
Welcome to the forum is your jurisdiction on the 2017 NEC?

In 2017 Article 553 (not 555) covered wiring, services, feeders, and grounding for floating buildings.
In 2017 Article 555 covered:

All wiring under the scope of article 555 has been required to have an insulated equipment grounding conductor since the articles inception in 1968.
Branch circuit wiring under the scope of 553 (added in the 1987 NEC) was not required to have an insulated equipment ground as of the 2017 NEC.

However the entire article 553 was deleted in the 2020 NEC, and the scope of article 555 now covers floating buildings in Part III. And per 555.54(C) equipment grounds have to be insulated.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the information on that. My local jurisdiction doesn't enforce this and the neighboring one started last July and states uf no longer qualifies because it doesn't have an insulated ground and TC ER is acceptable however in 547 uf is fine in corrosive areas, wet areas etc. No one can tell me the advantages of having an insulated ground in a boat house setting with all cables run in the ceiling behind a vinyl ceiling cover. I. E. enclosed. It serves nothing.
 
You should survey a number of old floating buildings with bare EGC's for signs of decay or corrosion and document it.
Then if you dont find any, present your findings and figure out and start the process of getting the local electrical code amended.

Also I do know they used to make a version of UF and NM with an insulated green but I have never tried to order it.
I have see it in buildings from the 70's and 80's so it was not that long ago.
You might also contact one of the major manufacturers and see if they still offer it or can start making that again.
 
tortuga said:
You should survey a number of old floating buildings with bare EGC's for signs of decay or corrosion and document it.
Then if you dont find any, present your findings and figure out and start the process of getting the local electrical code amended.

Also I do know they used to make a version of UF and NM with an insulated green but I have never tried to order it.
I have see it in buildings from the 70's and 80's so it was not that long ago.
You might also contact one of the major manufacturers and see if they still offer it or can start making that again.
Click to expand...
Ya it was black romex I think anaconda brand that I've seen with that the most.
 
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