Type AC + Bonding strip

Status
Not open for further replies.
celtic

celtic

Senior Member
Location
NJ
....is the bonding strip actually doing anything ?

I recall a recent thread about what to do with the bond (cut, fold, wrap, etc)....the post linked to an "information sheet" (pdf?) can someone post that again?


Here's the story....unit is being roughed in (all type AC), as the guys are cutting in the boxes someone notices that there is no bonding strip in the cable ??? Back tracking a few locations, there is still no strip...wtf?...Maybe an entire roll?


Looking in the NEC [2002]:
320.100 Construction.
Type AC cable shall have an armor of flexible metal tape and shall have an internal bonding strip of copper or aluminum in intimate contact with the armor for its entire length.
Click to expand...
NECH [2002] goes on to indicate:

The armor of Type AC cable is recognized as an equipment grounding conductor by 250.118. The required internal bonding strip can be simply cut off at the termination of the armored cable, or it can be bent back on the armor. It is not necessary to connect it to an equipment grounding terminal. It reduces the inductive reactance of the spiral armor and increases the armor's effectiveness as an equipment ground. Many installers use this strip to help prevent the insulating bushing required by 320.40 (the ?red head?) from falling out during rough wiring.
Click to expand...
It appears to me (and I seem to be batting .000 lately) that the strip is not doing much of anything (see bolded text above)...but with my average - that's gotta be wrong!


So, what say you?
 
Re: Type AC + Bonding strip

It reduces the inductive reactance of the spiral armor and increases the armor's effectiveness as an equipment ground.
Click to expand...
That's the reason for the strip. It helps with the integrity of the spiral armor during a fault.
Old style AC cable which doesn't have a bonding strip should not be considered a EGC IMHO.
 
Re: Type AC + Bonding strip

I agree with Ron, which is never going out on a limb. :cool:

The only purpose of the bonding strip is to 'short' each turn of the armor to the one on each side of it.

Without the the strip AC armor could turn red hot like a toaster element during a ground fault.
 
Re: Type AC + Bonding strip

Did you get type AC which requires the internal strip or type MC that does not need the strip?
 
Re: Type AC + Bonding strip

Along with Jim's question, does the cable you are using have an insulated EGC?

Roger
 
Re: Type AC + Bonding strip

Hello Pierre, you beat me to it. ;)

Roger
 
Re: Type AC + Bonding strip

Thanks for the replies and the translation :D

This cable is Armour lite AC 12/2....definitley not MC (no green conductor). We do have MC on the job - but only #10 and #8.


I seriously dobut the supplier/manufac. will pay for the "redo crew"...maybe toss us an extra roll or two..but you never know...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top