ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area EMT or BX

The proper term for this is flexible metal conduit, or "flex" or "greenfield."


Frank, that's not the "ground wire" it's the bonding strip. If it doesn't have the bonding strip, it is not AC cable.

Peter

Yeah, well that could explain the problem here.

I did double check AFC's web site and the American AFC 90 product contains only a bonding strip, no ground wire.

No need to be sorry you where trying to help and you did.

I have now learned Canada has different cables then the USA.

We have type AC as described above and we have type MC which is also armored but has a full size insulated ground.

Either one comes in steel or aluminum armor.

Bob

Iwire and CTwireman,
I just checked our 12/2 AC90 has a #14 bare copper grounding wire but no aluminum bonding strip here in Canada.I'll have to remember our material is slightly different the next time i chime in on a question.Thanks again

[This message has been edited by frank (edited 12-03-2004).]

AC Cable is available as AC-HCF, and has an insulated ground wire.(slang term is "hospital cable")

Here's a comparison of various cables.

http://afcweb.com/pdfs/01catalog/01cat-p34-compar.pdf

Years ago #12 "BX" did come with a reduced #16 bare Cu ground wire, but I never saw any that wasn't at least as old as I was.


An inspector shouldn't approve any installation that is going to come apart from vibration, improper installation, or hard usage, ground wire or not.

Down here the inspector isn't supposed to be able to approve or disapprove an installation on what they like(although many still try).
That's what the Code is for. To give them a set of rules to follow, as well as us.



[This message has been edited by electure (edited 12-03-2004).]

If I had a choice and the customer didn't care I'd vote for as much pipe as possible. Minimum 3/4". Reason: expandability. But then again ... some jobs won't pay for the extra time it takes.

A few years back at 15 hour code review, the instructor had this old BX (don't remember the real name),well inside was only 1 insulated conductor and the metal jacket of the cable was used for the neutral.He said that the neutral of the hangin light would just connect to the box.

Any one have any storys about that stuff?

shortcircuit