As for the EGC, and the manner of its protection: Growing up in the Sixties, I saw the grounding practices change quite a bit. Before 1960, IF there was a ground at all, it was a light gauge wire that was tied off to a water pipe. Once ground rods became typical, I often saw an unprotected wire go to a rod that was often either inside the crawlspace or punched through the basement floor. In the suburbs, with the surge in "ranch" style tract homes, requirements quickly evolved. First the lawn mower, then the weed whacker were blamed for damaging the wire. This led to requiring (first) solid wire, then upping the size to #4, then requiring the wire to be in pipe. By 1970 the use of EMT was universal -- the use of PVC, even today, is greatly discouraged. (Think: Chicago) In Arkansas today, a typical EGC will be #6 stranded (usually green -- forget the NEC!) in PVC. About a foot fron the panel the PVC will be separated and a surface-mounted intersystem bonding block inserted.
For this job I chose RMC, bent to protect the wi re until it was well underground. I protected the pipe from corrosion with heavy vinyl "pipe wrap tape".
