Re-identifying a ground

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Dave58er

Dave58er

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Dearborn, MI
I know that EGCs under #4 can't be black wire taped green, but what about other grounds, like GECs etc?

I haven't found any other wording like this in 250.
 
Dave58er said:
I know that EGCs under #4 can't be black wire taped green, but what about other grounds, like GECs etc?

I haven't found any other wording like this in 250.
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I didn't see anything either so if it doesn't prohibit then you can is what I was taught.
 
I agree, the GEC can be any color if it's insulated. Green is reserved for the EGC 250.119.

Roger
 
Cavie, until EGC is changed to EB(onding)C, you must be careful when using the term "grounding conductor", it may not have anything to do with earthing as in GEC which would be better refered to as EEC.

Roger
 
250.119 Identification of Equipment Grounding Conductors
Unless required elsewhere in this Code, equipment grounding conductors shall be permitted to be bare, covered, or insulated. Individually covered or insulated equipment grounding conductors shall have a continuous outer finish that is either green or green with one or more yellow stripes except as permitted in this section. Conductors with insulation or individual covering that is green, green with one or more yellow stripes, or otherwise identified as permitted by this section shall not be used for ungrounded or grounded circuit conductors.
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This section does not limit the use of green to EGCs only. It does require that insulated EGCs be green, but only prohibits the use of green for use as ungrounded or grounded circuit conductors. This permits the use of green for all grounding and bonding conductors.
Don
 
Don you are correct, the GEC can be any color including green.


Roger
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
This permits the use of green for all grounding and bonding conductors.
Don
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Permitted to be green and shall be green are two different things. I thought the grounding and bonding wires "shall be" green or taped green when insulated.
I was wrong.

It seems many of these "ground" wires don't have to be green.

This may not seem like a big deal but if you've got to do a wire pull with an EGC #6 you must get a green spool. You cant just grab a roll of black and pull it in then tape the ends and be code compliant. But if it's a GEC, EBJ, or MBJ you don't have to have a green spool. Apparently you don't even have to tape it green when you terminate.

This is probably not new to many of you. But, I'm pretty suprised by it.
 
The price increase in copper has made me do things that I normally didn't do in the past. I used to run #4 or #6 bare solid for my GEC. Lately, I've been using short pieces (drops) of #4 or #6 black stranded. I just take off a short section of the insulation where I attach it to the GE.
Haven't had a problem with inspections, all passed.
It's given me a way to save some money and get rid of some of the drops that I accumulated back when copper was cheap.
I'll probably never go back to solid GEC's.
Goes to show.....a old dog can learn a new trick.
steve
 
hillbilly said:
The price increase in copper has made me do things that I normally didn't do in the past. I used to run #4 or #6 bare solid for my GEC. Lately, I've been using short pieces (drops) of #4 or #6 black stranded. I just take off a short section of the insulation where I attach it to the GE.
Haven't had a problem with inspections, all passed.
It's given me a way to save some money and get rid of some of the drops that I accumulated back when copper was cheap.
I'll probably never go back to solid GEC's.
Goes to show.....a old dog can learn a new trick.
steve
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You could strip it off or just leave it black.
 
No color requirement for the EGC. We mostly know what its for. But I would add using the following colors could cause an AHJ to take a second look:
White
Orange
 
Hello Pierre. Is White really a color?
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Roger
 
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roger said:
Hello Pierre. Is White really a color?
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In light, it's the equal distribution of all colors; with pigment, it's the absence of color.

In the NEC, yes. If you can color or re-color a conductor white, it must be a color.
 
LarryFine said:
In light, it's the equal distribution of all colors; with pigment, it's the absence of color.

In the NEC, yes. If you can color or re-color a conductor white, it must be a color.
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Owwww.

My head hurts. Make it stop!

;)

And a rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet.

:)
 
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