June 14, 2025 • 43 mins
Welcome to The Bond and Ground Podcast—On this episode Paul Abernathy discusses the misunderstanding of how to connect equipment grounding conductors, also known as EGC's in a box when you have multiple sizes and what happens when you have a metal box interposed in a PVC raceway system and visa versa for PVC boxes in metal raceway systems.
On this podcast the National Electrical Code® becomes personal, practical, and powerfully clear. Hosted by Paul Abernathy, a respected voice on Code Making Panel 5 (CMP-5) and industry-leading expert on grounding and bonding, this show delivers deep insights into Article 250 and beyond. Each episode breaks down real-world applications of grounding and bonding rules, dispels myths, and explores the Code’s intent—so you’re not just following the rules, you're understanding them. Whether you're a licensed electrician, inspector, engineer, or serious Code student, The Bond and Ground Podcast equips you with the grounded knowledge you need to wire with confidence and stay compliant. 🎙️
Topics Include:
- NEC Article 250 deep dives
- Grounding electrode systems
- Bonding jumpers, EGCs, and GECs
- Isolated grounds, ground loops, and field issues
- Changes in the 2023 NEC and what’s coming next
No resistance—just grounded knowledge.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ask-paul-national-electrical-code--4971115/support.
On this podcast the National Electrical Code® becomes personal, practical, and powerfully clear. Hosted by Paul Abernathy, a respected voice on Code Making Panel 5 (CMP-5) and industry-leading expert on grounding and bonding, this show delivers deep insights into Article 250 and beyond. Each episode breaks down real-world applications of grounding and bonding rules, dispels myths, and explores the Code’s intent—so you’re not just following the rules, you're understanding them. Whether you're a licensed electrician, inspector, engineer, or serious Code student, The Bond and Ground Podcast equips you with the grounded knowledge you need to wire with confidence and stay compliant. 🎙️
Topics Include:
- NEC Article 250 deep dives
- Grounding electrode systems
- Bonding jumpers, EGCs, and GECs
- Isolated grounds, ground loops, and field issues
- Changes in the 2023 NEC and what’s coming next
No resistance—just grounded knowledge.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ask-paul-national-electrical-code--4971115/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to the Bond and Ground Podcast, the podcasts where
grounding and bonding aren't just topics, they're the foundation of
electrical safety. Hosted by CMP five member Paul Abernethie, this
show breaks down the National Electrical Code with a focus
on Article two fifty, the article dedicated to proper grounding
(00:23):
and bonding of electrical systems. Whether you're a season electrician
or just decoding the code, you're in the right place.
No resistance, just grounded knowledge. Now sit back and enjoy
the podcast with your host, Paul Abernethy.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Hey, Hey, Hey, what up everybody? Welcome to another episode
of the Bond and Ground Podcast. I believe we're up
to episode seven, but if you're this is the first
time you stumbled onto our podcast. Remember now, I have
thousands of episodes on all types of topics that are
available on are many, many, many other platforms. For example,
(01:04):
if you go to Spotify, Spreaker, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts,
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to go there and get it. It's free and you
can listen to our podcast. You can watch our morning
(01:25):
show at Coffee Hour directly from our mobile app. We
try to make it as easy as possible if you
have to enjoy and get your knowledge. And really, I
don't know of any other long standing video or podcast
series like other than mine. I've been doing this for
decades now, whether it was before the social media was
even around then I would upload them on AOL into
(01:48):
a repository and be listened to by inspectors all over
the country. It's evolved through the years, and so I'm
very proud of what we've created. And so again you
can listen to all these episodes just search for Master
the NEC podcast on all of those listening platforms, or
the Let's Ask Paul podcast as well on all those platforms,
(02:12):
and of course the new one here, the Bonding Ground podcast,
which again is also playing on all of those popular
search platforms. So whatever your flavor, you may like Spotify,
that's great, I like Alexa, that's fine, But when it
comes to my podcast, I recommend you listen to our
mobile app. It's free and it's the easiest way to
just one click boom, you get to the podcast. Just
(02:32):
the easiest way to do it anyway, that's up to you.
So today on the Bonding Ground podcast, we're going to
talk about and this has evolved a little bit over
the years, and it is steeped in a misconception and
misunderstanding of what our the grounding system is all about
(02:55):
and what we're supposed to do with the equipment, ground
and conductors. That I figured we would touch on it
today and kind of dispill those myths that people have
out there. And again it's a lot of it has
to do with the way the code was written through
the years. It implied that you do something when now
we've clarified of what you're supposed to do. And so
(03:16):
that's what we're going to cover on today's episode. So
make sure you buckle up for this, especially if you're
new into the industry and you've been listening to so
many people tell you how to do this, tell you
how to do that, and you're like, dude, I just
want to know the right way to do it, So
I'm going to read it. So if you've got your
codebooks or whenever you're listening to this podcast, you go
(03:36):
to two fifty one forty eight. Now I'm in the
twenty twenty three edition. We always are going to be
in the latest edition. There was some obviously significant changes,
especially to a topic that we're going to talk about today.
But it's important to understand that a lot of times
when we have changes in the code, a lot of
it's to clarify. A lot of it's to make sure that, Okay,
if there was any ambiguous statement, then we had a
(03:59):
certain intent of the where the code needed to be,
especially when it comes to code Panel five and grounding
and bonding. That sometimes we'll do changes that help to
clarify and just make the code better over time. And
usability that's the key. A lot of times we just
fix things for usability. So that's kind of what happened here.
It's a usability thing when it comes to two fifty
(04:22):
one forty eight. So I'm going to read it to
you and then we'll just break certain parts of it down.
Now fifty eight is titled Continuity of Equipment ground and
Conductors and Attachment in Boxes, So that means the attachment
of the equipment ground and conductor to the boxes and
how you would facilitate that. Okay, so that's what it's
(04:43):
all about. But it's also covering connections and splices within boxes. Okay,
so let's kind of read that, and I'll read you
the code and then I'll kind of break it down
for you. So it says if circuit conductors are spliced.
Now you notice that starts out with if, right, because
(05:03):
you do have some allowances where the equipment grounds would
just pass or the circuit conductors would pass through a
box and not be spliced. Okay, so they can they
go straight through. So remember what this is saying. It says,
if if circuit conductors are spliced in a box okay,
or terminated on equipment within or supported by a box,
(05:28):
the installation shall comply with two fifty one eight A
through D. I think this isn't new, but I think
one of the most important statements of this is the
very beginning, when it says if circuit conductors are spliced
within a box or terminated on equipment within or supported
by a box. I think that is so important, so
(05:52):
important for you to understand that because if you have
wired type egcs again, which is the acronym for equipment
ground and conductors, and we're slowly getting rid of all
of these acronyms, by the way, like bonding jumper for
obvious reasons. I don't. I think it's kind of childish,
but it is what it is. So these wires, the
these circuit conductors with equipment grounds that are running through
(06:15):
these raceways are going through these metal boxes and they're
not spliced. So if they don't contain a splice or
they don't terminate on equipment, then there's nothing that requires
us to break those conductors, break that circuit. They're running
from point A to point B. Now it's running through
a metal box. Now we have to remember a couple
of things here. In One of the things is like,
(06:37):
if we have metal race ways that potentially qualify as
equipment ground and conductors they qualify and they meet two
fifty eighteen uh, they are part of an effective ground
fault current path. If that's the case in the wiring method,
and it's metal and it connects to a metal box,
then there's no need to bond that metal box. It's
(06:58):
it's already taken care of because the raceway system is
meeting that requirement and you just simply uh. And that's
even if you have the wire type equipment ground and
conductor in there. But your circuit conductors and everything is
running through the box and it's not spliced. There's nothing
that's going to compel you to have to cut that
equipment ground and now bond that box metal box because
(07:21):
it's being done through the raceways that make a connection
to the metal box. And as long as that raceway
system complies with two fifty one eighteen and it is
being used as an effective groundfall current path, then there's
there's no reason to break that equipment ground. So the
question then becomes, well, what if I'm using PVC and
I have a metal box that's interposed into it, and
(07:43):
again the conductors are running through it unbroken. Am I
still compelled to bond the metal box even if it's
being supplied by PVC. Well, of course you're going to
have equipment grounds or the wire types running through it, okay,
And if it is a metal box, it is required
to be connected to the EGC. And basically the jumper
that you're going to use is going to be based
(08:05):
on the circuits over current protection the highest rating of
the circuits that are in the box. Now, let's think
about this. So people say, well, I've got a metal box,
it's just floating out nowhere. Well if obviously, if it's
got electrical conductor's running through it, then it's an enclosure.
It's likely to be energized. You still got to meet
(08:26):
the performance requirements two fifty dot four. So you're going
to bond to that metal box, and the most logical
thing you're going to do is bond to it with
the EGC that's running with that circuit right now. The
thing about this is that even though you know you
can't get around the rules of three fourteen dot four,
(08:47):
which requires metal boxes to be connected to the effective
low impediance ground fault current path, I mean, it's got
to be connected to metal boxes. Okay, you can't get
around that. So that's what it's kind of talking about
up front and saying, look, if conductors are spliced in
a box or terminated on equipment within this supported or
(09:09):
in this box or supported by this box, then you're
going to connect it over to the metal box. Okay,
that's it. That's all that's saying. If they pass through
and it's still a metal box and you happen to
be using it with a PVC wiring method, then you're
going to have an equipment ground and conductor in there. Anyway,
you still are going to need to bond that metal box.
(09:30):
You can't just pass through. We got this isolated box.
It still could become energized. So again that's the general
requirement that you're going to have. Now, if there's no
splices or no nothing, that's the general rule is that
you know what, those conductors can simply pass through that
type of thing. But then it reminds you that you
(09:50):
have to meet the requirements of two fifty one forty
eight A through D, and so that's how we're going
to look at it. Right. So the very first thing,
and we're again we're not talking about the exception where
it talks equipment ground and conductors that are part of
let's say an isolated it's still an equipment ground conductor,
but it's considered an isolated equipment ground that has an
(10:10):
exception that it does not need to connect with the
other equipment grounds that are in the box or to
the box. It's designed to go back to the source
all the way through. And so if you have an
application that complies or you're trying to do something with
two fifty one six D. Then in that scenario, that's
(10:31):
an isolated ground equipment ground that does not have to
be together with all of the other equipment grounds. But anyway,
we'll read all that still got to kindle it for Boxville,
by the way, but it doesn't get connected with the others.
Why because it's meeting those specific rules to be isolated
and it can stay isolated. Okay, So anyway, let's kind
(10:52):
of get into each one. So the first thing we'll
look at is two fifty one eight A, and let's
look at that one. Okay, So A says connections and splices. Now,
if you're in the twenty twenty three edition of the
National Electrical Code, you will notice that this first sentence
(11:12):
is it's tanned out. Okay. In case you didn't notice this,
if you have link or you have handout handbook, they
will try to point out the changes of the verbiage
that's changed from cycle to cycle. In this case, it'll
be kind of a gray color. In the NEC, it's
kind of kind of a highlighted color, you know, it
kind of looks like a highlight. Again, they may miss
(11:35):
a few in the code, but generally they do a
really good job at NFPA catching all those things. And
so I'm going to read what it says and try
to explain to you that this really wasn't any different
than the concepts in twenty twenty. The twenty twenty c
versus what we are here, but the clarity is here,
(11:57):
And so I think that's the problem is romantics over
the different cycles where people did something we're going to
talk about in a second. But good news is good
news is sometimes we do look forward into code changes,
even though we may not be on the twenty twenty three.
We may be on the twenty twenty, but you look
(12:17):
and see what the intent was of a change in
twenty twenty three, and the change wasn't radically new. It
was just adding clarity to something that you thought was accurate,
but now you know is accurate. Does that make sense.
I'll explain it more in a second. Now, let me
read it for you real quick. It says we're in
a connections and splices. It says all equipment grounding conductors
(12:41):
that are spliced or terminated. Okay, so again we're not
talking about if you have a box and you have
conductors that are passing straight through, right, We're talking about
the fact that we're dealing with conductors that are spliced
or terminated within a box, and it says that all
equipment ground conductors that are spliced and terminated in a
(13:02):
box shall be connected together, not those that are passing through. Okay,
not those that are passing through. Now, I remind you
that if if you have multiples in a box, and
it is a metal box, uh, and it's being supplied
let's say by PVC raceways. Let's say and you have
a metal box that's interposed. You remember the other rules said,
(13:22):
you know what, we're going to use this whatever the
circuit with the largest overcurrent protected device to supply that
jumper over to the box. We we get you. If
it happens to be that circuit that is unspliced, happens
to be the largest overcurrent device, and that happens to
be the biggest equipment ground, then you're gonna have to
make a connection from that EGC over to the metal box. Okay,
(13:43):
if that's an isolated metal box, Okay, all right. So
I just want to make sure that's clear for everybody.
So this is saying that if you have splices, if
you have terminations, it's requiring all of the equipment grounds
to come together. It doesn't mean that if I go
to the unspliced circuit that's going through and I'm required
(14:08):
to connect that equipment ground to the box, it doesn't
make me. I mean, I can do that in a
way that doesn't splice or terminate that equipment ground. Whether
I run it through a lay in lug, whether I
just strip off some of the insulation and do a
lay in lug on the box, whether I loop it
through a bonding bushing that would loop it through depending
(14:29):
on what size it is, in order to bond that
box and let it keep on its way unbroken, unspliced, Okay,
that type of thing, then I can argue that that's
not going to have to be I'm not going to
require a jumper to bring it to a splice like
a wire nut. Okay. So important that we understand these
little nuances here. It's not terminated. It may be leading
(14:51):
through a lug, but it's not ending. It's not terminating
its direction. It's continuing on through the box. Okay. So
that's just a little nuance. But if you do have
the box, and maybe you have a box, for example,
that's got twelve twos and fourteen two's coming into a
box very common. One of the things that people used
(15:13):
to think is that you separate your twelves and you
separate your fourteens, for example, so that the equipment grounds,
all of the fourteens you splice together with the jumper,
and all of your twelves you splice together, and you
keep them separate in the box. And that was never
the intent. The concept was to tie all of these
equipment grounds together to create this spider web, if you will,
(15:36):
of low impedance, effective ground fault current paths. Okay, Redundancy
is not a bad thing here, Okay, especially in these
because these are non current carrying conductors. That's that they're originally,
that's what they're there for. They're bonding. Okay, there are
given the ground reference that we've talked about in other episodes,
but at the end of the day, connecting them all
together is a good thing. And so all this is
(15:58):
reminding you is that all equipment ground conductors that are spliced,
not just your twelves to your twelves, and your tens
to your tens, or your fourteens or your fourteen, all
of them come together. Granted you use the proper wirenut,
proper sizing can handle the number of conductors. You don't
do none, stupid. Okay, then that's what you do, right,
So all of them so all spliced. It doesn't matter
(16:20):
the size. They all must come together in this box
if they're spliced or terminated. Okay. Now it goes on
to say conductors and splices shall be made in accordance
with one ten dot fourteen B and two fifty dot eight,
except that insallation insulation shall not be required. Okay, So
(16:42):
typically these would be bear and you know again you
can use any of the terminations of two fifty dot eight.
Insulation is not required. That's why we use equipment grounds
that type of thing. So, so at the end of
the day, if you've got multiple cables coming into a
box and you're splicing, then you just bring all of
(17:03):
the equipment grounds together. You don't separate the twelves, you
don't a separate the fourteens and then have their own
little thing. No, you bring them together. Another thing that
I will talk about here that seems to be a
misnomer is that when you bring all of your cables
in the boxes. Let's say I have a box and
let me paint you the mental picture here. I've got
(17:24):
a fourteen to two's coming in, say one coming in,
one going out, and then i got a twelve two
coming in and a twelve two going out. Let's just
say but let's just say that I've got two separate
receptacles in this box. One is fourteen and one is twelve.
Now I'm going to bring all of the equipment grounds together, right,
(17:45):
bring them both the fourteens and twelve under the same
wire nut, properly sized wirenut. Again, wire nut is a
trademark from Ideal, so I'm using it for educational purposes.
And they come together. And then the question is what
about the jump Okay, the equipment bonding jumper that's going
to go from that splice over to each one of
those devices. Okay, I'm just kind of whether it switches
(18:09):
doesn't matter. I'm saying, if I'm going to have an
equipment bonding jumper, what size do I have? Well, when
the fourteen gauge terminates onto a device that's say it's
fifteen AM device, then the bond equipment bonding jumper that's
going to go from that splice that contains both the
fourteens and twelve bears. Let's say, if it's not a
(18:30):
metallic sheets cable NM or ROMEAX if you like trade slang,
that's going to jump over to the device. You're going
to size that equipment bonding jumper based on the size
of the conductors for the circuit that terminates on that device.
So there's a misnomer that people think that because I
bring the fourteens and twelve under one common wire nut
(18:51):
that now when I jump over to each device, that
it's got to be the maximum size and it's got
to be twelve gauge. That is not true. To the
device that the fourteen gage conductors terminate onto, that equipment
bonding jumper only needs to be fourteen gauge. That's it.
For the jumper that goes over to the device that
you're going to terminate the twelve gauges. On two, that
(19:12):
equipment bonding jumper is going to be twelve gauge, so
you keep the consistency of the circuit that is supplying
those devices. You get with me, get what I'm saying,
So it doesn't matter that they're all ring brought to
the same splice point. That's fine, but it's basically a
continuation of that circuit. If you were to have run
(19:33):
at fourteen and you didn't have splices, and all that
was in that box was the fourteen, then typically that's
what you're gonna use as the equipment ground. You're gonna
put it on the green terminal on the device and
be done with it. Right. No different here, there's no difference.
It's just we're taking advantage of bringing all of the
equipment grounds in the circuits together. Those that are spliced
(19:55):
or terminated within this box, we bring them all together
one splicing device. It's in compliance with two fifty eight,
and it's probably gonna be a wire nut, you get
what I'm saying. So there's a misnomer still out there
that you keep the fourteen equipment grounds separates the inn
(20:16):
the twelve equipment grounds. That's not true. Bring them all together, okay,
all right, So the next one is B and the
B is equipment grounding conductor continuity. So this is extremely
important because this is making sure that however you make
your terminations, however you make your splicing, okay, you need
(20:40):
to make it in a way that the equipment ground
and conductor's continuity is not broken. So what does it say.
It says the arrangement of grounding connections shall be such
that the disconnection or the removal of illumin air receptacle
or other device fed from the box does not interrupt
(21:05):
the electrical continuity of the equipment ground and conductors providing
an effective ground fault current path. Okay, so you have
to I mean, so this is going to encourage splicing.
This is going to encourage so that if I remove
one device, it's not dependent on the connection to another
(21:25):
device to provide that effective ground fault current path. So
that's a redundancy. It's built into this. So this is
why typically you'll come in and people will bring all
your equipment grounds, bring it to a splice, and then
you'll have equipment bonding jumpers go over to these specific
devices so that if you remove a device, it doesn't
(21:47):
mess up the integrity of the entire low impedance effective
ground fault current path. You get what I'm saying. So
it's so important to understand is to maintain the continuity. Now,
I think this probably just goes overlooked because most people
that bring equipment grounds into a box will basically just
(22:09):
splice them together and uh, that's it. And put their
equipment bonding jumpers over to the various devices and not
even think about it. But in doing so, you're actually
complying with the requirements of two fifty eight B for
that integrity. The next one is C and this is
(22:31):
directly correlated to metal boxes. And again we're talking about
eight the continuity of the equipment grounder conductors and attachment
to boxes. And then we specifically see this requirement that says,
wait a minute, we're talking about metal boxes and it
says a connection used for no other purpose should be
(22:53):
made between the metal box and the equipment ground a conductor.
Now what does that mean. Well, I'm sure y'all seeing
the little screws that go into the box. Okay, they're
pre threaded. They're meeting the requirements of two fifty dot eight.
They're probably machine screws. They have two full thread contacts.
They don't necessarily have to be green. They can be,
but they don't. They're not required to be green in
(23:15):
the box. Okay, that's not the same as a main
bombing jumper in a panel which has to have a
green finish. This is not requiring it to be green.
But this also does means that you're not going to
be using things like sheet metal screws or screws that
are not going to give you two full thread count
or a termination that may be in compliant with two
fifty dot eight. Now this also means that there are
(23:37):
those little metal clips that you can buy that are
specifically designed for no other purpose but to make a
mating connection between the metal box and the equipment ground conductor.
You simply slide it in there between the two little forks,
and you push it against the side of the metal box.
You use your screwdriver, you put it in those little
curves I'm trying to do a visual here, and then
(23:58):
you just pound it in and it makes a metal
to copper connection to that equipment ground right there at
the box. Okay, all right, So at the end of
the day, your equipment ground conductor makes direct connection to
the metal box through a connection that is has no
other purpose but to make that connection. Same with the
(24:21):
screw for grounding and bonding in a box that screw
its only connection. Now, why is this important? Because this
is implying that you cannot use other screws in the
box for this function. You can't use a mounting screw God,
I see this all the time. That would not be
for the sole purpose for making the connection between the
(24:42):
metal box and equipment ground. It's convenient for many people,
but it is not permitted. You have to have a
connection in a metal box that's used for no other purpose,
not for mounting, not for securing. Its only purpose is
to make that connec between the metal box and the
equipment ground and conductor. And that that does not apply
(25:05):
to mounting screws or any other screw in there that
is not specifically designated for no other purpose but to
make that connection. Okay, so it's critically important. Also, I
will argue with you that if you have four places
that a box gets supported and you only use three
of them, but the third hole you want to use
for this, I would still reject you because that's a
(25:27):
mounting hole. That is not a hole that's designed specifically
for this connection to the equipment ground a conductor to
that metal box. Okay, your HJ can do whatever they want,
but I say mounting holes are for mounting purposes. Drain
holes are for draining purposes. Okay. There is a specific
method to connect that equipment ground to the metal box,
(25:49):
whether it's one of those ground clips or a pre threaded,
pre provided connection through a pre drilled, pre tapped hole
that you would use a screw, and that would be
where you make your EGC connection. Okay, anything else to
me is not for the sole purpose of that connection.
It's for some other purpose that you're using for your convenience. Okay.
(26:11):
Now it goes on to say the equipment bonding jumper
or equipment grounding conductor, because you could have it not
stop at a splice. You could have it wrap around
a screw and continue onto the device, which would still
be an equipment grounding conductor, or it could go to
a splice, and now you have an equipment bonding jumper
that's jumping from the splice over to the device. Okay,
(26:32):
that's kind of a little lesson of the differences. Now
they're functioning the same, but again it depends on how
it gets from point A to point B. But this
is saying that you know what that equipment bonding jumper
or that equipment ground conductor shall be sized based on
two fifty based on what based on the largest overcurrent
device protecting circuits contained in the box. So for example,
(26:59):
if I have fourteens and twelves in a metal box
for whatever reason, and I bring them together and I
put them under a wire nut. Okay, And now I'm
gonna have any equipment bonding jumper over to the metal box, Okay.
And so because I've got fifteen amp circuits in there
and I've got twenty amp circuits in there, that jumper
(27:22):
over to the metal box to bond that metal box.
Because I have two different sized circuits in there, I
have to go with the worst case scenario, and I
have to go with the one that's being the circuits
being protected by the largest overcurrent protected device. And so
when I go to table two fifty one twenty two,
I'm going to base that one the largest overcurrent conductor
that supplies the circuits in that metal box. So if
(27:44):
i have a twenty and fifteen, then I'm gonna go
be basing it on table two fifty out one to
twenty two based on the twenty amp over current device.
That's what it means. Now, does that mean that from
my where my fourteens and twelve come together in a
wire nut, the jumper from there over to let's say
the metal box, would that be required to be Let's
(28:05):
say in our case, twelve because we had fifteen and twenties. Yes, yes,
but from that splice over to the device that contains
fourteen gauge onto it, that only needs to be fourteen
that equipment binding jumper over to the device. So we're
talking about the box here. We're talking about bonding the box,
not what we run over to the device, because that
(28:26):
can be the same size as whatever the circuit conductors
are that's supplying the device. Okay, whatever the equipment ground
would be size based on that circuit is what we
use for the device. Here, we're talking about the box.
Please do not get them confused. We're simply talking about
I have a metal box, and I have multiple circuits,
all of the equipment grounds come together. What's the size
(28:48):
of the equipment bonding jumper that I might take over
to the box? Well, it's based on the largest overcurrent
device protecting the circuits that are in the box. Makes sense, Okay.
Another question that people say is, well, if I've got
twelves coming in and I got fourteenths coming in, can
I just since I know it has to be twelve
because I've got the two sizes and twelve the twenty
(29:10):
amps greater than the fifteen AMP. So you're saying, I
just want to use the EGC and bring it in
and wrap it around a green screw or silver screw whatever,
as long as it's again specific for its purpose, can
I do that? And the answer is, well, you definitely
want to do it with the twelve. You don't want
to do it with the fourteen because the fourteen wouldn't
meet this requirement to bond that metal box, but the
(29:31):
twelve will, right. And so there is also folks out
there that say, well, you know, you need to have
six inches of free conductor before you even splice it
to the box or connect it to the box. I
disagree with that. Over All, I need to make sure
that I have six inches so if I'm coming in
and I'm wrapping it around that screw and then continuing on, overall,
(29:52):
I need to have six inches of free conductor, and
depending on the size of the box, I may have
to have also extend out three inches so that can
make those splices. But there's a misnomer out there that
the EGC has to be six inches before you even
bond it to the box. That's not the way the
code reads, That's not what it means okay, and that's
a whole different topic. So I'm just saying, if you're
(30:14):
going to bond that metal box and you bring all
of your fourteens and twelves to one wire nut that
jumper that's going to go over to bond the box,
make sure that size based on the largest overcurrent device
that's protecting the circuits that are going to that box.
Get what I'm saying. So you'd use a twelve versus
a fourteen if you had fifteen APP and twenty AMP
(30:35):
circuits both coming into the box. Makes sense, Okay. Next
one in the last one we'll talk about here is
non metallic boxes. Well, obviously you don't bond a non
metallic box. Okay, let's get that. We know that. Okay,
so we're talking about continuity. Okay, So but here's what
happens when you're dealing with a non metallic box. Right,
(30:56):
So it says one or more equipment grounding conductors brought
into a non metallic outlet box shall be arranged to
provide a connection to any fittings or devices in the
box requiring connection to an equipment ground a conductor. Now,
this basically can take place when you bring those conductors
(31:21):
in and you actually have a splice it and then
you have a wirenut there. There's obviously a mechanism there
for you be able to put a bonding jumper over
to it, so that's already there. This has seen a lot.
For example, in the best visual I can give you
is boxes that have an integral bus built into them
in order to be able to make sure that even
(31:43):
though it's a non metallic box, that it does provide
a mechanism or a fitting or a device in order
to be able to ensure this this connections. A good
example of this would be a pool box. Mostly these
pool boxes it's going to use for pool deck boxes
are going to have an integral bus in there or
a brass that is make sure that if you did
(32:04):
bring in PVC raceways, or if you did bring metal
raceways in you had a PVC box, that you're still
gonna have the integrity there. Okay, let's see what any
other example that I can come up. If you have
a anometallic box, Let's say, let's just let's look at
it this way. If I have a metal raceway coming
in and I have a metal raceway going on the
(32:25):
other side, but it's coming and I'm using that raceway
by the way, Okay, I'm using that that raceway as
the integral connection between the two raceways and that is
the equipment ground. But now I'm coming to a metal box.
Obviously that's going to break the effective ground fault current path, right,
(32:46):
that makes sense. So if that's the case, I have
to have provisions in there in order to this. And
I had a great picture on one of my old
blogs on our old website which shows a metal box
and raceways coming into it. Uh And basically there was
provisions there by bonding lock nuts on each side, and
it provided a bonding jumper of the of the proper
(33:08):
size equipment bonding jumper from one side to the other
to maintain the integrity of that raceway system, because that
plastic box was breaking the integrity of that and that's
not a good thing. Okay, So that's what I had.
Now with that said, I got to remind you of
something because that's an example. But again, what about the
(33:29):
requirements in three fourteen dot three for non metallic boxes.
By the way, So if I'm taking a metal raceway system,
and typically you're probably gonna have an equipment ground in
there anyway. Just what I'm saying, that's how most people
design them. But let's say you weren't, and you were
using the raceway and EMT and it qualifies as an
(33:50):
equipment ground and conductor in two fifty one eighteen. Let's
just hypothetically say that, and now you want to use
a non metallic box to break that effective ground fault
current path well three fourteen dot three says non metallic
boxes says non metallic boxes shall be permitted only with
open wiring on insulators, concealednob and two and cabled wiring
(34:13):
methods okay, with entirely non metallic sheathing, flexible cords, and
non metallic raceways. So basically, the general premise here is
that I can't use a non metallic box on a
raceway system that would be metallic. But of course, with everything,
(34:35):
we have an exceptions, and the exception to this says okay.
Exception number one says okay, okay. Look look look at here.
It says, where internal bonding means are provided between all entries,
non metallic boxes shall be permitted to be used with
metal raceways or metal armored cables. So the example I
(34:57):
gave and is that I basically had metal raceways, and
when it came in, the basically the equipment ground and
conductors would come in, and I made sure that it
went through a lay in lug so that it connects
the one raceway through these equipment ground and conductors to
the other side of the non metallic box. Okay, and
(35:17):
they would splice in there unless they're just passing through.
Then I would still have to bring it through because
I need to make sure the integrity of the one
side where the raceway is the equipment ground or could
potentially be the equipment ground with the other side right,
But that's if I had an equipment ground. So I
used in my example, I said, well, what if I'm
(35:39):
putting a plastic box in it's a metal raceway that
does qualify on the one side, and it's leaving the
other side with a metal raceway that does qualify, but
now it's broke because of this this non metallic box. Well,
I have to put something integral in order to maintain
between entries the one side to the other. So the
(36:00):
easiest way to do that was to put a bonding
jumper from one side to the other side. And so
that's how I would provide the bonding jumper. Now there
is an exception number two. It says, where integral bonding
means with provisions for attaching an equipment bonding jumper inside
(36:22):
the box are provided between all threaded entries in a
non metallic box listed for the purpose. Non metallic boxes
shall be permitted to be used with metal raceways or
metal armored cable. So at the end of the day,
you have ways to do it. But here's the skinny.
Here's the simplest concept. If you are using the raceway
(36:47):
and you're coming to a non metallic box, if you
happen to do this, then you have to you have
to remember that you need to maintain the integrity of
that effective ground fault current path. So you're gonna need jumpers.
You're gonna need to effectively connect that one race way
on one side across this non metallic box over to
the other side. Okay, so you know that's pretty much it.
(37:09):
In a nutshell, I think that what we want to
dispill or dismiss or get rid of, or however you
want to say it, the notion that when you come
to a box and you have two different circuits that
you're supposed to keep the equipment grounds separated. That is
not true. They all come together. That was always the intent.
(37:33):
Whether the verbiage got us there, you could always go
back and read the public comments, the code panel statements.
That's what we meant to say, and it just so
happens that twenty twenty three clarified it so that it
means what it says, and there's no ambiguity about it.
It just says all of them, all of them come
together that are spliced or terminated in the box. They
(37:55):
all come together, spliced together. Method of doing so compliant
and that's the requirement. You don't isolate them out now.
Of course, you remember we do have the exception for
the isolated ground and two fifty one forty six D
and where that passes straight through, it doesn't kick connected
to all of those equipment grounds. That's for a reason. Okay,
(38:17):
it's still an equipment ground, a connector. Even though it's
an isolated ground, it's still an equipment ground. That doesn't
alleviate our requirements to use equipment grounds to bond all
non current carrying metal parts and do everything we're supposed
to do. That's a unique application for isolated grounds and
maybe we'll talk about that in an upcoming episode, But
I think the important thing that you take away from
this one in two fifty eight is that if we
(38:40):
have circuits that are spliced and terminated in a box,
all of those equipment grounds have to come together, regardless
if they're fourteen gauge, twelve gauge, or ten gauge. You're
gonna have to choose a proper wiring device to be
able to do that splicing device to fifty dot eight,
properly sized wire nut. Whatever you do, bring them all together,
and then when it branches off to devices, it only
(39:02):
needs to be sized the equipment bonding jumper based on
the size of the circuit and the overcurrent device that
is supplying that circuit. Okay, Now, when you're bringing them
all together and you're bonding a metal box, then you're
gonna do the equipment bonding jumper over to the metal box.
It's going to be based on the largest overcurrent protected
device of every circuit that's supplying that box. Okay, So
(39:24):
in a case of twenty amp versus fifteen AM, we're
gonna be using the twenty AM for that bonding jumper
over to the metal box. Makes sense. And if you're
going to put a plastic box in between metal race ways,
for example, then you have to make sure that you
maintain the integrity of the effective ground fall current path.
But also you get permission to do this in three
(39:46):
fourteen dot three. But it says, look, there's still some
caveats to this. I need some kind of integral connection
or internal connection in the box. It's going to maintain
the tech integrity from point A to point B. And
that's the easiest thing to do is put a bushing
on each side of the metal raceway with a lay
in lug and either do a jumper from point A
(40:09):
to point B. Or if you have an equipment ground
in your raceway and it's still metal but you have
an equipment ground, then you just just run that equipment
ground strip off a little bit of the insulation and
do it through a lay in lug so that you
meet that integrity and you meet the rules for being
able to use a non metallic box on a metal
(40:29):
raceway system. If you choose to do that, you have
rules that you have to follow. Doesn't mean you can't
do it. You just meet the exceptions and you follow
the rules and you're okay with that. Most of the time,
you're probably gonna run in the opposite. You're probably gonna
run in where they put a metal box imposed in
a non metallic raceway system. And then again you need
(40:51):
to remember that if we have splices and terminations in
that box, then we have to bond the metal box.
If we run circuit conductors through that metal box, that
we still and we don't break them or cut them
because it's a metal box, we still have to connect
it to the equipment ground and conductor of those circuits.
That doesn't necessarily mean that you have to break okay,
(41:15):
doesn't mean you have to break the equipment ground. It
may be just as simple of putting a bushing on
the end with a and be able to or make
a connection so it makes it to the metal box,
maybe a lay in lug or something like that, in
order to be able to make sure. And I don't
think a bushings work because that's if it's a non
metallic race we're coming in, then the bushing's pointless, right,
(41:37):
So you're gonna have to do something that connects to
the metal box. And basically maybe a lay in lug
or something like that just drill it and put a
lay in lug, and you just basically strip a little
bit of the equipment ground off the insulation and just
lay it through the lay and lug, and now it's
gonna bond the metal box. It doesn't mean I cut it,
doesn't mean I broke it. I'm just meeting the requirements
(41:57):
because I have this floating metal box and it still
needs to be bonded because it has conductors in it
that will likely to energize it. So I have to
follow the performance requirements of two forty excuse me to
fifty four? Okay, does that make sense? All right, folks?
Until next time, I hope you got something out of
(42:18):
this episode of the Bonding Ground podcast. Make sure you subscribe,
let other people know about it, and you've got any questions.
You can also go to Paul Abernathy dot com and
submit your questions. If there's something you don't understand or
I wasn't clear to you, just put what episode it is,
give us a brief summary of what it's talking about.
Don't make us go back and listen to the episode again, folks,
because I'm not gonna do it. You just won't get
(42:40):
your question answered. Ask your question viva descriptive. Let us
know what it is and to the point where I
don't have to go re listen to something, and then
I will answer that question for you and you may
make it on an upcoming podcast. All right, all right, folks,
till next time, say safe, God bless. We'll catch you
on another episode of the Bonding Ground podcast.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Thanks for listening to the Bond and Ground podcast, The
podcasts where grounding and bonding aren't just topics, they're the
foundation of electrical safety. Hosted by CMP five member Paul Abernethy,
this show breaks down the National Electrical Code with a
focus on Article two fifty like no one else can.
(43:23):
Whether you're a season electrician or just decoding the code,
you're in the right place. No resistance, just grounded knowledge.
Thanks for listening to the Bond and Ground podcast. Stay bonded,
stay grounded, and as always, trust the real code professionals,
not social influencers.
Welcome to the Bond and Ground Podcast, the podcasts where
grounding and bonding aren't just topics, they're the foundation of
electrical safety. Hosted by CMP five member Paul Abernethie, this
show breaks down the National Electrical Code with a focus
on Article two fifty, the article dedicated to proper grounding
(00:23):
and bonding of electrical systems. Whether you're a season electrician
or just decoding the code, you're in the right place.
No resistance, just grounded knowledge. Now sit back and enjoy
the podcast with your host, Paul Abernethy.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Hey, Hey, Hey, what up everybody? Welcome to another episode
of the Bond and Ground Podcast. I believe we're up
to episode seven, but if you're this is the first
time you stumbled onto our podcast. Remember now, I have
thousands of episodes on all types of topics that are
available on are many, many, many other platforms. For example,
(01:04):
if you go to Spotify, Spreaker, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts,
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Tracks that's t r a XSystem dot com. Feel free
to go there and get it. It's free and you
can listen to our podcast. You can watch our morning
(01:25):
show at Coffee Hour directly from our mobile app. We
try to make it as easy as possible if you
have to enjoy and get your knowledge. And really, I
don't know of any other long standing video or podcast
series like other than mine. I've been doing this for
decades now, whether it was before the social media was
even around then I would upload them on AOL into
(01:48):
a repository and be listened to by inspectors all over
the country. It's evolved through the years, and so I'm
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can listen to all these episodes just search for Master
the NEC podcast on all of those listening platforms, or
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(02:12):
and of course the new one here, the Bonding Ground podcast,
which again is also playing on all of those popular
search platforms. So whatever your flavor, you may like Spotify,
that's great, I like Alexa, that's fine, But when it
comes to my podcast, I recommend you listen to our
mobile app. It's free and it's the easiest way to
just one click boom, you get to the podcast. Just
(02:32):
the easiest way to do it anyway, that's up to you.
So today on the Bonding Ground podcast, we're going to
talk about and this has evolved a little bit over
the years, and it is steeped in a misconception and
misunderstanding of what our the grounding system is all about
(02:55):
and what we're supposed to do with the equipment, ground
and conductors. That I figured we would touch on it
today and kind of dispill those myths that people have
out there. And again it's a lot of it has
to do with the way the code was written through
the years. It implied that you do something when now
we've clarified of what you're supposed to do. And so
(03:16):
that's what we're going to cover on today's episode. So
make sure you buckle up for this, especially if you're
new into the industry and you've been listening to so
many people tell you how to do this, tell you
how to do that, and you're like, dude, I just
want to know the right way to do it, So
I'm going to read it. So if you've got your
codebooks or whenever you're listening to this podcast, you go
(03:36):
to two fifty one forty eight. Now I'm in the
twenty twenty three edition. We always are going to be
in the latest edition. There was some obviously significant changes,
especially to a topic that we're going to talk about today.
But it's important to understand that a lot of times
when we have changes in the code, a lot of
it's to clarify. A lot of it's to make sure that, Okay,
if there was any ambiguous statement, then we had a
(03:59):
certain intent of the where the code needed to be,
especially when it comes to code Panel five and grounding
and bonding. That sometimes we'll do changes that help to
clarify and just make the code better over time. And
usability that's the key. A lot of times we just
fix things for usability. So that's kind of what happened here.
It's a usability thing when it comes to two fifty
(04:22):
one forty eight. So I'm going to read it to
you and then we'll just break certain parts of it down.
Now fifty eight is titled Continuity of Equipment ground and
Conductors and Attachment in Boxes, So that means the attachment
of the equipment ground and conductor to the boxes and
how you would facilitate that. Okay, so that's what it's
(04:43):
all about. But it's also covering connections and splices within boxes. Okay,
so let's kind of read that, and I'll read you
the code and then I'll kind of break it down
for you. So it says if circuit conductors are spliced.
Now you notice that starts out with if, right, because
(05:03):
you do have some allowances where the equipment grounds would
just pass or the circuit conductors would pass through a
box and not be spliced. Okay, so they can they
go straight through. So remember what this is saying. It says,
if if circuit conductors are spliced in a box okay,
or terminated on equipment within or supported by a box,
(05:28):
the installation shall comply with two fifty one eight A
through D. I think this isn't new, but I think
one of the most important statements of this is the
very beginning, when it says if circuit conductors are spliced
within a box or terminated on equipment within or supported
by a box. I think that is so important, so
(05:52):
important for you to understand that because if you have
wired type egcs again, which is the acronym for equipment
ground and conductors, and we're slowly getting rid of all
of these acronyms, by the way, like bonding jumper for
obvious reasons. I don't. I think it's kind of childish,
but it is what it is. So these wires, the
these circuit conductors with equipment grounds that are running through
(06:15):
these raceways are going through these metal boxes and they're
not spliced. So if they don't contain a splice or
they don't terminate on equipment, then there's nothing that requires
us to break those conductors, break that circuit. They're running
from point A to point B. Now it's running through
a metal box. Now we have to remember a couple
of things here. In One of the things is like,
(06:37):
if we have metal race ways that potentially qualify as
equipment ground and conductors they qualify and they meet two
fifty eighteen uh, they are part of an effective ground
fault current path. If that's the case in the wiring method,
and it's metal and it connects to a metal box,
then there's no need to bond that metal box. It's
(06:58):
it's already taken care of because the raceway system is
meeting that requirement and you just simply uh. And that's
even if you have the wire type equipment ground and
conductor in there. But your circuit conductors and everything is
running through the box and it's not spliced. There's nothing
that's going to compel you to have to cut that
equipment ground and now bond that box metal box because
(07:21):
it's being done through the raceways that make a connection
to the metal box. And as long as that raceway
system complies with two fifty one eighteen and it is
being used as an effective groundfall current path, then there's
there's no reason to break that equipment ground. So the
question then becomes, well, what if I'm using PVC and
I have a metal box that's interposed into it, and
(07:43):
again the conductors are running through it unbroken. Am I
still compelled to bond the metal box even if it's
being supplied by PVC. Well, of course you're going to
have equipment grounds or the wire types running through it, okay,
And if it is a metal box, it is required
to be connected to the EGC. And basically the jumper
that you're going to use is going to be based
(08:05):
on the circuits over current protection the highest rating of
the circuits that are in the box. Now, let's think
about this. So people say, well, I've got a metal box,
it's just floating out nowhere. Well if obviously, if it's
got electrical conductor's running through it, then it's an enclosure.
It's likely to be energized. You still got to meet
(08:26):
the performance requirements two fifty dot four. So you're going
to bond to that metal box, and the most logical
thing you're going to do is bond to it with
the EGC that's running with that circuit right now. The
thing about this is that even though you know you
can't get around the rules of three fourteen dot four,
(08:47):
which requires metal boxes to be connected to the effective
low impediance ground fault current path, I mean, it's got
to be connected to metal boxes. Okay, you can't get
around that. So that's what it's kind of talking about
up front and saying, look, if conductors are spliced in
a box or terminated on equipment within this supported or
(09:09):
in this box or supported by this box, then you're
going to connect it over to the metal box. Okay,
that's it. That's all that's saying. If they pass through
and it's still a metal box and you happen to
be using it with a PVC wiring method, then you're
going to have an equipment ground and conductor in there. Anyway,
you still are going to need to bond that metal box.
(09:30):
You can't just pass through. We got this isolated box.
It still could become energized. So again that's the general
requirement that you're going to have. Now, if there's no
splices or no nothing, that's the general rule is that
you know what, those conductors can simply pass through that
type of thing. But then it reminds you that you
(09:50):
have to meet the requirements of two fifty one forty
eight A through D, and so that's how we're going
to look at it. Right. So the very first thing,
and we're again we're not talking about the exception where
it talks equipment ground and conductors that are part of
let's say an isolated it's still an equipment ground conductor,
but it's considered an isolated equipment ground that has an
(10:10):
exception that it does not need to connect with the
other equipment grounds that are in the box or to
the box. It's designed to go back to the source
all the way through. And so if you have an
application that complies or you're trying to do something with
two fifty one six D. Then in that scenario, that's
(10:31):
an isolated ground equipment ground that does not have to
be together with all of the other equipment grounds. But anyway,
we'll read all that still got to kindle it for Boxville,
by the way, but it doesn't get connected with the others.
Why because it's meeting those specific rules to be isolated
and it can stay isolated. Okay, So anyway, let's kind
(10:52):
of get into each one. So the first thing we'll
look at is two fifty one eight A, and let's
look at that one. Okay, So A says connections and splices. Now,
if you're in the twenty twenty three edition of the
National Electrical Code, you will notice that this first sentence
(11:12):
is it's tanned out. Okay. In case you didn't notice this,
if you have link or you have handout handbook, they
will try to point out the changes of the verbiage
that's changed from cycle to cycle. In this case, it'll
be kind of a gray color. In the NEC, it's
kind of kind of a highlighted color, you know, it
kind of looks like a highlight. Again, they may miss
(11:35):
a few in the code, but generally they do a
really good job at NFPA catching all those things. And
so I'm going to read what it says and try
to explain to you that this really wasn't any different
than the concepts in twenty twenty. The twenty twenty c
versus what we are here, but the clarity is here,
(11:57):
And so I think that's the problem is romantics over
the different cycles where people did something we're going to
talk about in a second. But good news is good
news is sometimes we do look forward into code changes,
even though we may not be on the twenty twenty three.
We may be on the twenty twenty, but you look
(12:17):
and see what the intent was of a change in
twenty twenty three, and the change wasn't radically new. It
was just adding clarity to something that you thought was accurate,
but now you know is accurate. Does that make sense.
I'll explain it more in a second. Now, let me
read it for you real quick. It says we're in
a connections and splices. It says all equipment grounding conductors
(12:41):
that are spliced or terminated. Okay, so again we're not
talking about if you have a box and you have
conductors that are passing straight through, right, We're talking about
the fact that we're dealing with conductors that are spliced
or terminated within a box, and it says that all
equipment ground conductors that are spliced and terminated in a
(13:02):
box shall be connected together, not those that are passing through. Okay,
not those that are passing through. Now, I remind you
that if if you have multiples in a box, and
it is a metal box, uh, and it's being supplied
let's say by PVC raceways. Let's say and you have
a metal box that's interposed. You remember the other rules said,
(13:22):
you know what, we're going to use this whatever the
circuit with the largest overcurrent protected device to supply that
jumper over to the box. We we get you. If
it happens to be that circuit that is unspliced, happens
to be the largest overcurrent device, and that happens to
be the biggest equipment ground, then you're gonna have to
make a connection from that EGC over to the metal box. Okay,
(13:43):
if that's an isolated metal box, Okay, all right. So
I just want to make sure that's clear for everybody.
So this is saying that if you have splices, if
you have terminations, it's requiring all of the equipment grounds
to come together. It doesn't mean that if I go
to the unspliced circuit that's going through and I'm required
(14:08):
to connect that equipment ground to the box, it doesn't
make me. I mean, I can do that in a
way that doesn't splice or terminate that equipment ground. Whether
I run it through a lay in lug, whether I
just strip off some of the insulation and do a
lay in lug on the box, whether I loop it
through a bonding bushing that would loop it through depending
(14:29):
on what size it is, in order to bond that
box and let it keep on its way unbroken, unspliced, Okay,
that type of thing, then I can argue that that's
not going to have to be I'm not going to
require a jumper to bring it to a splice like
a wire nut. Okay. So important that we understand these
little nuances here. It's not terminated. It may be leading
(14:51):
through a lug, but it's not ending. It's not terminating
its direction. It's continuing on through the box. Okay. So
that's just a little nuance. But if you do have
the box, and maybe you have a box, for example,
that's got twelve twos and fourteen two's coming into a
box very common. One of the things that people used
(15:13):
to think is that you separate your twelves and you
separate your fourteens, for example, so that the equipment grounds,
all of the fourteens you splice together with the jumper,
and all of your twelves you splice together, and you
keep them separate in the box. And that was never
the intent. The concept was to tie all of these
equipment grounds together to create this spider web, if you will,
(15:36):
of low impedance, effective ground fault current paths. Okay, Redundancy
is not a bad thing here, Okay, especially in these
because these are non current carrying conductors. That's that they're originally,
that's what they're there for. They're bonding. Okay, there are
given the ground reference that we've talked about in other episodes,
but at the end of the day, connecting them all
together is a good thing. And so all this is
(15:58):
reminding you is that all equipment ground conductors that are spliced,
not just your twelves to your twelves, and your tens
to your tens, or your fourteens or your fourteen, all
of them come together. Granted you use the proper wirenut,
proper sizing can handle the number of conductors. You don't
do none, stupid. Okay, then that's what you do, right,
So all of them so all spliced. It doesn't matter
(16:20):
the size. They all must come together in this box
if they're spliced or terminated. Okay. Now it goes on
to say conductors and splices shall be made in accordance
with one ten dot fourteen B and two fifty dot eight,
except that insallation insulation shall not be required. Okay, So
(16:42):
typically these would be bear and you know again you
can use any of the terminations of two fifty dot eight.
Insulation is not required. That's why we use equipment grounds
that type of thing. So, so at the end of
the day, if you've got multiple cables coming into a
box and you're splicing, then you just bring all of
(17:03):
the equipment grounds together. You don't separate the twelves, you
don't a separate the fourteens and then have their own
little thing. No, you bring them together. Another thing that
I will talk about here that seems to be a
misnomer is that when you bring all of your cables
in the boxes. Let's say I have a box and
let me paint you the mental picture here. I've got
(17:24):
a fourteen to two's coming in, say one coming in,
one going out, and then i got a twelve two
coming in and a twelve two going out. Let's just
say but let's just say that I've got two separate
receptacles in this box. One is fourteen and one is twelve.
Now I'm going to bring all of the equipment grounds together, right,
(17:45):
bring them both the fourteens and twelve under the same
wire nut, properly sized wirenut. Again, wire nut is a
trademark from Ideal, so I'm using it for educational purposes.
And they come together. And then the question is what
about the jump Okay, the equipment bonding jumper that's going
to go from that splice over to each one of
those devices. Okay, I'm just kind of whether it switches
(18:09):
doesn't matter. I'm saying, if I'm going to have an
equipment bonding jumper, what size do I have? Well, when
the fourteen gauge terminates onto a device that's say it's
fifteen AM device, then the bond equipment bonding jumper that's
going to go from that splice that contains both the
fourteens and twelve bears. Let's say, if it's not a
(18:30):
metallic sheets cable NM or ROMEAX if you like trade slang,
that's going to jump over to the device. You're going
to size that equipment bonding jumper based on the size
of the conductors for the circuit that terminates on that device.
So there's a misnomer that people think that because I
bring the fourteens and twelve under one common wire nut
(18:51):
that now when I jump over to each device, that
it's got to be the maximum size and it's got
to be twelve gauge. That is not true. To the
device that the fourteen gage conductors terminate onto, that equipment
bonding jumper only needs to be fourteen gauge. That's it.
For the jumper that goes over to the device that
you're going to terminate the twelve gauges. On two, that
(19:12):
equipment bonding jumper is going to be twelve gauge, so
you keep the consistency of the circuit that is supplying
those devices. You get with me, get what I'm saying,
So it doesn't matter that they're all ring brought to
the same splice point. That's fine, but it's basically a
continuation of that circuit. If you were to have run
(19:33):
at fourteen and you didn't have splices, and all that
was in that box was the fourteen, then typically that's
what you're gonna use as the equipment ground. You're gonna
put it on the green terminal on the device and
be done with it. Right. No different here, there's no difference.
It's just we're taking advantage of bringing all of the
equipment grounds in the circuits together. Those that are spliced
(19:55):
or terminated within this box, we bring them all together
one splicing device. It's in compliance with two fifty eight,
and it's probably gonna be a wire nut, you get
what I'm saying. So there's a misnomer still out there
that you keep the fourteen equipment grounds separates the inn
(20:16):
the twelve equipment grounds. That's not true. Bring them all together, okay,
all right, So the next one is B and the
B is equipment grounding conductor continuity. So this is extremely
important because this is making sure that however you make
your terminations, however you make your splicing, okay, you need
(20:40):
to make it in a way that the equipment ground
and conductor's continuity is not broken. So what does it say.
It says the arrangement of grounding connections shall be such
that the disconnection or the removal of illumin air receptacle
or other device fed from the box does not interrupt
(21:05):
the electrical continuity of the equipment ground and conductors providing
an effective ground fault current path. Okay, so you have
to I mean, so this is going to encourage splicing.
This is going to encourage so that if I remove
one device, it's not dependent on the connection to another
(21:25):
device to provide that effective ground fault current path. So
that's a redundancy. It's built into this. So this is
why typically you'll come in and people will bring all
your equipment grounds, bring it to a splice, and then
you'll have equipment bonding jumpers go over to these specific
devices so that if you remove a device, it doesn't
(21:47):
mess up the integrity of the entire low impedance effective
ground fault current path. You get what I'm saying. So
it's so important to understand is to maintain the continuity. Now,
I think this probably just goes overlooked because most people
that bring equipment grounds into a box will basically just
(22:09):
splice them together and uh, that's it. And put their
equipment bonding jumpers over to the various devices and not
even think about it. But in doing so, you're actually
complying with the requirements of two fifty eight B for
that integrity. The next one is C and this is
(22:31):
directly correlated to metal boxes. And again we're talking about
eight the continuity of the equipment grounder conductors and attachment
to boxes. And then we specifically see this requirement that says,
wait a minute, we're talking about metal boxes and it
says a connection used for no other purpose should be
(22:53):
made between the metal box and the equipment ground a conductor.
Now what does that mean. Well, I'm sure y'all seeing
the little screws that go into the box. Okay, they're
pre threaded. They're meeting the requirements of two fifty dot eight.
They're probably machine screws. They have two full thread contacts.
They don't necessarily have to be green. They can be,
but they don't. They're not required to be green in
(23:15):
the box. Okay, that's not the same as a main
bombing jumper in a panel which has to have a
green finish. This is not requiring it to be green.
But this also does means that you're not going to
be using things like sheet metal screws or screws that
are not going to give you two full thread count
or a termination that may be in compliant with two
fifty dot eight. Now this also means that there are
(23:37):
those little metal clips that you can buy that are
specifically designed for no other purpose but to make a
mating connection between the metal box and the equipment ground conductor.
You simply slide it in there between the two little forks,
and you push it against the side of the metal box.
You use your screwdriver, you put it in those little
curves I'm trying to do a visual here, and then
(23:58):
you just pound it in and it makes a metal
to copper connection to that equipment ground right there at
the box. Okay, all right, So at the end of
the day, your equipment ground conductor makes direct connection to
the metal box through a connection that is has no
other purpose but to make that connection. Same with the
(24:21):
screw for grounding and bonding in a box that screw
its only connection. Now, why is this important? Because this
is implying that you cannot use other screws in the
box for this function. You can't use a mounting screw God,
I see this all the time. That would not be
for the sole purpose for making the connection between the
(24:42):
metal box and equipment ground. It's convenient for many people,
but it is not permitted. You have to have a
connection in a metal box that's used for no other purpose,
not for mounting, not for securing. Its only purpose is
to make that connec between the metal box and the
equipment ground and conductor. And that that does not apply
(25:05):
to mounting screws or any other screw in there that
is not specifically designated for no other purpose but to
make that connection. Okay, so it's critically important. Also, I
will argue with you that if you have four places
that a box gets supported and you only use three
of them, but the third hole you want to use
for this, I would still reject you because that's a
(25:27):
mounting hole. That is not a hole that's designed specifically
for this connection to the equipment ground a conductor to
that metal box. Okay, your HJ can do whatever they want,
but I say mounting holes are for mounting purposes. Drain
holes are for draining purposes. Okay. There is a specific
method to connect that equipment ground to the metal box,
(25:49):
whether it's one of those ground clips or a pre threaded,
pre provided connection through a pre drilled, pre tapped hole
that you would use a screw, and that would be
where you make your EGC connection. Okay, anything else to
me is not for the sole purpose of that connection.
It's for some other purpose that you're using for your convenience. Okay.
(26:11):
Now it goes on to say the equipment bonding jumper
or equipment grounding conductor, because you could have it not
stop at a splice. You could have it wrap around
a screw and continue onto the device, which would still
be an equipment grounding conductor, or it could go to
a splice, and now you have an equipment bonding jumper
that's jumping from the splice over to the device. Okay,
(26:32):
that's kind of a little lesson of the differences. Now
they're functioning the same, but again it depends on how
it gets from point A to point B. But this
is saying that you know what that equipment bonding jumper
or that equipment ground conductor shall be sized based on
two fifty based on what based on the largest overcurrent
device protecting circuits contained in the box. So for example,
(26:59):
if I have fourteens and twelves in a metal box
for whatever reason, and I bring them together and I
put them under a wire nut. Okay, And now I'm
gonna have any equipment bonding jumper over to the metal box, Okay.
And so because I've got fifteen amp circuits in there
and I've got twenty amp circuits in there, that jumper
(27:22):
over to the metal box to bond that metal box.
Because I have two different sized circuits in there, I
have to go with the worst case scenario, and I
have to go with the one that's being the circuits
being protected by the largest overcurrent protected device. And so
when I go to table two fifty one twenty two,
I'm going to base that one the largest overcurrent conductor
that supplies the circuits in that metal box. So if
(27:44):
i have a twenty and fifteen, then I'm gonna go
be basing it on table two fifty out one to
twenty two based on the twenty amp over current device.
That's what it means. Now, does that mean that from
my where my fourteens and twelve come together in a
wire nut, the jumper from there over to let's say
the metal box, would that be required to be Let's
(28:05):
say in our case, twelve because we had fifteen and twenties. Yes, yes,
but from that splice over to the device that contains
fourteen gauge onto it, that only needs to be fourteen
that equipment binding jumper over to the device. So we're
talking about the box here. We're talking about bonding the box,
not what we run over to the device, because that
(28:26):
can be the same size as whatever the circuit conductors
are that's supplying the device. Okay, whatever the equipment ground
would be size based on that circuit is what we
use for the device. Here, we're talking about the box.
Please do not get them confused. We're simply talking about
I have a metal box, and I have multiple circuits,
all of the equipment grounds come together. What's the size
(28:48):
of the equipment bonding jumper that I might take over
to the box? Well, it's based on the largest overcurrent
device protecting the circuits that are in the box. Makes sense, Okay.
Another question that people say is, well, if I've got
twelves coming in and I got fourteenths coming in, can
I just since I know it has to be twelve
because I've got the two sizes and twelve the twenty
(29:10):
amps greater than the fifteen AMP. So you're saying, I
just want to use the EGC and bring it in
and wrap it around a green screw or silver screw whatever,
as long as it's again specific for its purpose, can
I do that? And the answer is, well, you definitely
want to do it with the twelve. You don't want
to do it with the fourteen because the fourteen wouldn't
meet this requirement to bond that metal box, but the
(29:31):
twelve will, right. And so there is also folks out
there that say, well, you know, you need to have
six inches of free conductor before you even splice it
to the box or connect it to the box. I
disagree with that. Over All, I need to make sure
that I have six inches so if I'm coming in
and I'm wrapping it around that screw and then continuing on, overall,
(29:52):
I need to have six inches of free conductor, and
depending on the size of the box, I may have
to have also extend out three inches so that can
make those splices. But there's a misnomer out there that
the EGC has to be six inches before you even
bond it to the box. That's not the way the
code reads, That's not what it means okay, and that's
a whole different topic. So I'm just saying, if you're
(30:14):
going to bond that metal box and you bring all
of your fourteens and twelves to one wire nut that
jumper that's going to go over to bond the box,
make sure that size based on the largest overcurrent device
that's protecting the circuits that are going to that box.
Get what I'm saying. So you'd use a twelve versus
a fourteen if you had fifteen APP and twenty AMP
(30:35):
circuits both coming into the box. Makes sense, Okay. Next
one in the last one we'll talk about here is
non metallic boxes. Well, obviously you don't bond a non
metallic box. Okay, let's get that. We know that. Okay,
so we're talking about continuity. Okay, So but here's what
happens when you're dealing with a non metallic box. Right,
(30:56):
So it says one or more equipment grounding conductors brought
into a non metallic outlet box shall be arranged to
provide a connection to any fittings or devices in the
box requiring connection to an equipment ground a conductor. Now,
this basically can take place when you bring those conductors
(31:21):
in and you actually have a splice it and then
you have a wirenut there. There's obviously a mechanism there
for you be able to put a bonding jumper over
to it, so that's already there. This has seen a lot.
For example, in the best visual I can give you
is boxes that have an integral bus built into them
in order to be able to make sure that even
(31:43):
though it's a non metallic box, that it does provide
a mechanism or a fitting or a device in order
to be able to ensure this this connections. A good
example of this would be a pool box. Mostly these
pool boxes it's going to use for pool deck boxes
are going to have an integral bus in there or
a brass that is make sure that if you did
(32:04):
bring in PVC raceways, or if you did bring metal
raceways in you had a PVC box, that you're still
gonna have the integrity there. Okay, let's see what any
other example that I can come up. If you have
a anometallic box, Let's say, let's just let's look at
it this way. If I have a metal raceway coming
in and I have a metal raceway going on the
(32:25):
other side, but it's coming and I'm using that raceway
by the way, Okay, I'm using that that raceway as
the integral connection between the two raceways and that is
the equipment ground. But now I'm coming to a metal box.
Obviously that's going to break the effective ground fault current path, right,
(32:46):
that makes sense. So if that's the case, I have
to have provisions in there in order to this. And
I had a great picture on one of my old
blogs on our old website which shows a metal box
and raceways coming into it. Uh And basically there was
provisions there by bonding lock nuts on each side, and
it provided a bonding jumper of the of the proper
(33:08):
size equipment bonding jumper from one side to the other
to maintain the integrity of that raceway system, because that
plastic box was breaking the integrity of that and that's
not a good thing. Okay, So that's what I had.
Now with that said, I got to remind you of
something because that's an example. But again, what about the
(33:29):
requirements in three fourteen dot three for non metallic boxes.
By the way, So if I'm taking a metal raceway system,
and typically you're probably gonna have an equipment ground in
there anyway. Just what I'm saying, that's how most people
design them. But let's say you weren't, and you were
using the raceway and EMT and it qualifies as an
(33:50):
equipment ground and conductor in two fifty one eighteen. Let's
just hypothetically say that, and now you want to use
a non metallic box to break that effective ground fault
current path well three fourteen dot three says non metallic
boxes says non metallic boxes shall be permitted only with
open wiring on insulators, concealednob and two and cabled wiring
(34:13):
methods okay, with entirely non metallic sheathing, flexible cords, and
non metallic raceways. So basically, the general premise here is
that I can't use a non metallic box on a
raceway system that would be metallic. But of course, with everything,
(34:35):
we have an exceptions, and the exception to this says okay.
Exception number one says okay, okay. Look look look at here.
It says, where internal bonding means are provided between all entries,
non metallic boxes shall be permitted to be used with
metal raceways or metal armored cables. So the example I
(34:57):
gave and is that I basically had metal raceways, and
when it came in, the basically the equipment ground and
conductors would come in, and I made sure that it
went through a lay in lug so that it connects
the one raceway through these equipment ground and conductors to
the other side of the non metallic box. Okay, and
(35:17):
they would splice in there unless they're just passing through.
Then I would still have to bring it through because
I need to make sure the integrity of the one
side where the raceway is the equipment ground or could
potentially be the equipment ground with the other side right,
But that's if I had an equipment ground. So I
used in my example, I said, well, what if I'm
(35:39):
putting a plastic box in it's a metal raceway that
does qualify on the one side, and it's leaving the
other side with a metal raceway that does qualify, but
now it's broke because of this this non metallic box. Well,
I have to put something integral in order to maintain
between entries the one side to the other. So the
(36:00):
easiest way to do that was to put a bonding
jumper from one side to the other side. And so
that's how I would provide the bonding jumper. Now there
is an exception number two. It says, where integral bonding
means with provisions for attaching an equipment bonding jumper inside
(36:22):
the box are provided between all threaded entries in a
non metallic box listed for the purpose. Non metallic boxes
shall be permitted to be used with metal raceways or
metal armored cable. So at the end of the day,
you have ways to do it. But here's the skinny.
Here's the simplest concept. If you are using the raceway
(36:47):
and you're coming to a non metallic box, if you
happen to do this, then you have to you have
to remember that you need to maintain the integrity of
that effective ground fault current path. So you're gonna need jumpers.
You're gonna need to effectively connect that one race way
on one side across this non metallic box over to
the other side. Okay, so you know that's pretty much it.
(37:09):
In a nutshell, I think that what we want to
dispill or dismiss or get rid of, or however you
want to say it, the notion that when you come
to a box and you have two different circuits that
you're supposed to keep the equipment grounds separated. That is
not true. They all come together. That was always the intent.
(37:33):
Whether the verbiage got us there, you could always go
back and read the public comments, the code panel statements.
That's what we meant to say, and it just so
happens that twenty twenty three clarified it so that it
means what it says, and there's no ambiguity about it.
It just says all of them, all of them come
together that are spliced or terminated in the box. They
(37:55):
all come together, spliced together. Method of doing so compliant
and that's the requirement. You don't isolate them out now.
Of course, you remember we do have the exception for
the isolated ground and two fifty one forty six D
and where that passes straight through, it doesn't kick connected
to all of those equipment grounds. That's for a reason. Okay,
(38:17):
it's still an equipment ground, a connector. Even though it's
an isolated ground, it's still an equipment ground. That doesn't
alleviate our requirements to use equipment grounds to bond all
non current carrying metal parts and do everything we're supposed
to do. That's a unique application for isolated grounds and
maybe we'll talk about that in an upcoming episode, But
I think the important thing that you take away from
this one in two fifty eight is that if we
(38:40):
have circuits that are spliced and terminated in a box,
all of those equipment grounds have to come together, regardless
if they're fourteen gauge, twelve gauge, or ten gauge. You're
gonna have to choose a proper wiring device to be
able to do that splicing device to fifty dot eight,
properly sized wire nut. Whatever you do, bring them all together,
and then when it branches off to devices, it only
(39:02):
needs to be sized the equipment bonding jumper based on
the size of the circuit and the overcurrent device that
is supplying that circuit. Okay, Now, when you're bringing them
all together and you're bonding a metal box, then you're
gonna do the equipment bonding jumper over to the metal box.
It's going to be based on the largest overcurrent protected
device of every circuit that's supplying that box. Okay, So
(39:24):
in a case of twenty amp versus fifteen AM, we're
gonna be using the twenty AM for that bonding jumper
over to the metal box. Makes sense. And if you're
going to put a plastic box in between metal race ways,
for example, then you have to make sure that you
maintain the integrity of the effective ground fall current path.
But also you get permission to do this in three
(39:46):
fourteen dot three. But it says, look, there's still some
caveats to this. I need some kind of integral connection
or internal connection in the box. It's going to maintain
the tech integrity from point A to point B. And
that's the easiest thing to do is put a bushing
on each side of the metal raceway with a lay
in lug and either do a jumper from point A
(40:09):
to point B. Or if you have an equipment ground
in your raceway and it's still metal but you have
an equipment ground, then you just just run that equipment
ground strip off a little bit of the insulation and
do it through a lay in lug so that you
meet that integrity and you meet the rules for being
able to use a non metallic box on a metal
(40:29):
raceway system. If you choose to do that, you have
rules that you have to follow. Doesn't mean you can't
do it. You just meet the exceptions and you follow
the rules and you're okay with that. Most of the time,
you're probably gonna run in the opposite. You're probably gonna
run in where they put a metal box imposed in
a non metallic raceway system. And then again you need
(40:51):
to remember that if we have splices and terminations in
that box, then we have to bond the metal box.
If we run circuit conductors through that metal box, that
we still and we don't break them or cut them
because it's a metal box, we still have to connect
it to the equipment ground and conductor of those circuits.
That doesn't necessarily mean that you have to break okay,
(41:15):
doesn't mean you have to break the equipment ground. It
may be just as simple of putting a bushing on
the end with a and be able to or make
a connection so it makes it to the metal box,
maybe a lay in lug or something like that, in
order to be able to make sure. And I don't
think a bushings work because that's if it's a non
metallic race we're coming in, then the bushing's pointless, right,
(41:37):
So you're gonna have to do something that connects to
the metal box. And basically maybe a lay in lug
or something like that just drill it and put a
lay in lug, and you just basically strip a little
bit of the equipment ground off the insulation and just
lay it through the lay and lug, and now it's
gonna bond the metal box. It doesn't mean I cut it,
doesn't mean I broke it. I'm just meeting the requirements
(41:57):
because I have this floating metal box and it still
needs to be bonded because it has conductors in it
that will likely to energize it. So I have to
follow the performance requirements of two forty excuse me to
fifty four? Okay, does that make sense? All right, folks?
Until next time, I hope you got something out of
(42:18):
this episode of the Bonding Ground podcast. Make sure you subscribe,
let other people know about it, and you've got any questions.
You can also go to Paul Abernathy dot com and
submit your questions. If there's something you don't understand or
I wasn't clear to you, just put what episode it is,
give us a brief summary of what it's talking about.
Don't make us go back and listen to the episode again, folks,
because I'm not gonna do it. You just won't get
(42:40):
your question answered. Ask your question viva descriptive. Let us
know what it is and to the point where I
don't have to go re listen to something, and then
I will answer that question for you and you may
make it on an upcoming podcast. All right, all right, folks,
till next time, say safe, God bless. We'll catch you
on another episode of the Bonding Ground podcast.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Thanks for listening to the Bond and Ground podcast, The
podcasts where grounding and bonding aren't just topics, they're the
foundation of electrical safety. Hosted by CMP five member Paul Abernethy,
this show breaks down the National Electrical Code with a
focus on Article two fifty like no one else can.
(43:23):
Whether you're a season electrician or just decoding the code,
you're in the right place. No resistance, just grounded knowledge.
Thanks for listening to the Bond and Ground podcast. Stay bonded,
stay grounded, and as always, trust the real code professionals,
not social influencers.
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