Adding a ground to non grounded outlets

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Dennis Alwon

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I thought all conductors / wires of the same system / circuit had to be in the same jacket / conduit :? Hence why we can not run single conductors to a sub-panel in a residence?
That is true in general. This section gives us an exception
 

Dennis Alwon

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Chapel Hill, NC
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I think that refers to current carrying conductors. To counter act the EMF. I could be wrong tho.
There should be no emf's since there should be no current on the egc. The neutral and non grounded conductors will cancel out the emf's if they are run together.
 

Adogg

Member
Location
PA
Unless it has changed you are allowed to surface mount a #12 wire. Running it right up the wall to the outlet. It's not real pretty, but thats not the point.
Also you are/were allowed to bring it to the closest water copper pipe.

Wouldn't that be a violation of 250.120(C)? I don't think I would consider that protected from physical damage.
 

Buck Parrish

Senior Member
Location
NC & IN
One of the hand books or EM&C magazine had a picture of the ground wire ran right up the wall to the outlet.

I have saw it done that way several times. Sorry my hand books are not here.

As for running the ground individually, its mentioned in 250.134. b exception 1. It is likely mentioned else where, too.


If any one has a handbook 99, 02, or 05 I'm not sure which one it is in. But the diagram was in the same area with marking a gfci protected outlet "no equipment ground" Maybe around 406 some where.
 

Little Bill

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Tennessee NEC:2017
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Semi-Retired Electrician
One of the hand books or EM&C magazine had a picture of the ground wire ran right up the wall to the outlet.

I have saw it done that way several times. Sorry my hand books are not here.

As for running the ground individually, its mentioned in 250.134. b exception 1. It is likely mentioned else where, too.


If any one has a handbook 99, 02, or 05 I'm not sure which one it is in. But the diagram was in the same area with marking a gfci protected outlet "no equipment ground" Maybe around 406 some where.

I'm looking at the 2005 Handbook under 250.130(C) and Exhibit 250.49. The picture doesn't really show a wall, it just shows an EGC run from the terminal on a grounding type receptacle to the grounding electrode system, also it's a metal box so they show the bonding jumper to the box. It doesn't show or elude to any conduit or means of protection.
It also mentions that you can't connect to the water pipe unless it is within 5' of where the pipe enters the building.

Of course we are talking "handbook" here and all the pics and exhibits are just commentary and not actual code.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Personally I prefer a rewire also but I have to stay within their budget as much as possible
Already been mentioned, the labor involved is usually about same either way and the amount of 12AWG involved in most cases is pretty insignificant to the total cost.

Installing a gfci in place of the egc does not create an egc. It just offers protection for individuals.
Very true.

I think that refers to current carrying conductors. To counter act the EMF. I could be wrong tho.
It is desirable to run EGC with the associated circuit conductors to lower impedance during a fault condition, which will translate to higher fault current which will also allow for faster operation of overcurrent devices.

Even if NEC permits EGC to be routed away from circuit conductors in certain instances it is a better design to run them with the circuit conductors if possible. The general rule is all circuit conductors including the EGC be run in same cable, raceway, close proximity in a trench, etc.
 
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