Uninsulated conductor in conduit

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StudyingNEC

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Let me start by saying that I have been lurking this board for a long time now. I have been involved in electric of some sort all of my life. I know what I'm capable of and and I know when to ask a true professional. I do some side work for a residential electrician and get the oppourtunity to play/learn some larger commerial stuff every summer with another group of electricians. That all being said, I'm not a licensed electrician nor do I work full time with any. I'm simply studying for it now as this is what I have chosen for a career.

Normally I would just answer my own question and look it up in the book, but alas my book has been stolen along with some other personal effects.

My question, can any type of uninsulated wire be run in conduit for use as a ground? The scenario is, there is 2" PVC conduit run along the side of a building that is being outfitted with a new panel. We have a few hundred feet of #4 quadplex (3 insulated, 1 non) laying around. I was told by an inspector that non-insulated wire, even used as a ground, can not be run through conduit. I have someone arguing me that it can infact be run in conduit. I was always under the impression that such wire can only be used for aerial use. For reference, the run will be out of a main panel, feeding a sub, 120/240 1ph.

If anyone can supply me with an article number regarding the legalities of doing this, I would much appreciate it.
 
Hi there!!
Well I now according to article NEC2002 Art. 230.30 that you can have a bare copper ground conductor (see exception). Don't now from where the inspectors that you can't have "any" bare conductors even the ground. Ask him to show you the NEC Article/section.
Regards:smile:
 
Either the Inspector is wrong, or you misunderstood what was said.

250.119 says that an Equipment Grounding Conductor (EGC) is allowed to be bare metal. 250.120(A) says that an EGC is permitted to be inside a raceway. Put those together and you conclude that a bare wire is allowed inside a raceway.
 
Unless the inspector thought you were talking about triplex but your post stated quadplex.
 
kpepin said:
Unless the inspector thought you were talking about triplex but your post stated quadplex.
Click to expand...


Yes he stated a quadplex with one wire noninsulated (bare). I bet the issue here is whether quadplex can be run in conduit.
 
Well apparently I may have a large hat to eat.

To add some more information, the conudctors are #4 aluminum, 1 bare, 3 insulated. All 4 conductors are twisted as a bundle. I'm unsure to as what the jacket material is, the only markings that I can find on any of the conductors is ''Alcan W PE'' followed by a date and time stamp. I can only assume that Alcan is the manufacture, the rest I am unfamiliar with.

As an aside, are there any issues with running a ''bundled'' or twisted cable through conduit?

Thank you all for your input. The knowledge is much appreciated.
 
"Triplex" or "quadplex" as it is marketed may not be listed for some applications. I have even heard that it ain't listed in the Code at all. What are the wire types in that assembly? Are they marked in any way?

Hence, power companies can use the stuff, but we cannot. At least, that was my understanding... :confused:

Maybe that's the angle the inspector-critter is using here?
 
I should note, the inspector is a friend of mine. I don't belive he told me no to give me a hard time, but rather to keep our project to code. I have been unable to get a hold of him to see if he can give me clairifcation on it.

As I stated in my last post, the only markings on the cable are "Alcan W PE" with a time/date stamp following. Alcan is clearly the manufacture and after some research on their site, the only cable that I can find that would meet the design of this cable is their "Multiplex Overhead Service Drop". A quick c&p from their site;

""Insulation on the phase conductors can be black low density crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) or black high molecular weight - low density polyethylene (PE) depending upon the application."

Since the cable is marked only "PE" I can only assume that the jacket is low density polyethylene, rated at 75C (noted on page. According to the PDF that I have linked to below, the "W" stands for which plant it was manufactured at. They specify that the cable can be used to power pole to service enterance or from pole to pole.

According to this PDF what we have would appear to be "code name" Pinto (page 8), #4, 7 strand, PE jacket, 75C rated.

I'm not sure I can come up with anymore detail on the cable ;)
 
Doesn't this type of cable typically have a steel strand running through the center of the uninsulated conductor for support of the service drop? Maybe he is objecting to pulling a bare conductor with a rigid steel conductor in the raceway.
 
kbsparky said:
"Triplex" or "quadplex" as it is marketed may not be listed for some applications. I have even heard that it ain't listed in the Code at all.
Click to expand...

I agree, unless you can find the conductors listed and described in the NEC you can not use it for NEC applications.

Typical Triplex or Quadplex used by the power companies has no listing or markings and can not be used for NEC applications......though I have seen it done. :cool:
 
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