What is the thin metal wire in a AC Bx for

[The electron man]

I know that thin wire has something to do with the grounding but how important is it ?

I was installing an AC bx and that thin wire broke off , I can't strip more of the Bx should I just run a new cable or its not a big deal ?

 

[augie47]

It's there for bonding the sheath to make it an acceptable equipment ground. It need not extend beyond the jacket or be terminated No problem that it broke

 

[roger]

It simply shunts the coils of the sheath.

 

[infinity]

The thin bonding tape just shorts together the spiral wound armor jacket so that the fault current can travel in a straight line instead of around the conductors which can cause the jacket to become an inductor and not allow the OCPD to open because its doesn't see the fault.

 

[The electron man]

It's there for bonding the sheath to make it an acceptable equipment ground. It need not extend beyond the jacket or be terminated No problem that it broke

Doesn't it need to be wrapped around the sheath ?

 

[hillbilly1]

Doesn't it need to be wrapped around the sheath ?

It can be, but not required, as others said, it just shorts the spiral.

 

[infinity]

Doesn't it need to be wrapped around the sheath ?

No it doesn't as hillbilly stated and if you do the next guy who has to work on that cable will hate you.

 

[The electron man]

No it doesn't as hillbilly stated and if you do the next guy who has to work on that cable will hate you.

How would it make the next guys job harder ?

Thanks for all the help

 

[infinity]

How would it make the next guys job harder ?

Sometimes you have to remove the cable and restrip it. With the bonding strip wrapped around the sheath it has to be unraveled or cut. The strip can be simply cut off and it still performs its intended function.

 

[The electron man]

Sometimes you have to remove the cable and restrip it. With the bonding strip wrapped around the sheath it has to be unraveled or cut. The strip can be simply cut off and it still performs its intended function.

Thanks for clarifying

 

[infinity]

Thanks for clarifying

You're welcome. There is nothing wrong with the wrap it's just a personal preference not to do it for the reason I mentioned.

 

[MD Automation]

Full disclosure - not an electrician - but growing up around real ones years ago I was taught to wrap the bonding strip back around the BX because it helped hold the anti-short bushing in place.

No idea if that was a local Brooklyn NY thing?

 

[infinity]

Full disclosure - not an electrician - but growing up around real ones years ago I was taught to wrap the bonding strip back around the BX because it helped hold the anti-short bushing in place.

No idea if that was a local Brooklyn NY thing?

When I was an apprentice we were taught that was the reason why the strip was in the cable. It was only there to hold the anti-short bushing.

 

[The electron man]

Full disclosure - not an electrician - but growing up around real ones years ago I was taught to wrap the bonding strip back around the BX because it helped hold the anti-short bushing in place.

No idea if that was a local Brooklyn NY thing?

That's how my journeyman thought me to do it

 

[electrofelon]

When I was an apprentice we were taught that was the reason why the strip was in the cable. It was only there to hold the anti-short bushing.

Awww that's so sweet of the cable manufacturer, I want to give them a big hug for thinking of us in the field

 

[hbiss]

That's how my journeyman thought me to do it

That's how I was taught also and all I ever saw. Way back when the new code went into effect (50's) that required the "new" AC with the bonding strip, I was told that the inspector wanted to be able to see it so he knows that you were using it. That's why we wrapped it, so he can see it outside the box.

But yeah, no sweat if it breaks off.

-Hal

 

[electrofelon]

When I was new to the trade, maybe a year in, I had never seen nor knew what AC cable was. IT was never used in my area. I went down to Maryland to do some electrical for a friend of a friend. Came across some AC cable and was baffled by the super small flimsy "ground". I remember carefully wrapping it around a ground screw and trying not to break it.......