ECN Forum Forums Photo Discussion Forums Violation Photo Forum More Hacking

Bob,
We don't use metallic conduit at all here these days, it was popular here after WWII but with our Coastal air (read: corrosion) we gave it up for PVC.
But like anything, mate, you'll always come across it, if you work in older places.
Common Neutrals and all!. Ughhh!.

Guys, I was kidding, perhaps I should have used emoticons to stress that point. The work is horrible, obviously the work of an untrained, negligent hack. Albeit, emt is used very often as the sole equipment grounding conductor, like it or not. It's compliant as Iwire already elaborately pointed out.

Hack job is too nice a word for this, @!#^%*
probably would be better but that is not a polite word to say.
BTW Newsgraphics, Welcome to ECN

EMT makes a fine grounding conductor, but not when the connector nut is missing (12 o'clock entry).

I don't no i see separated emt all over the place If you say it's a better conductor i believe it but some people like to use the pipe instead of a ladder or when pulling themselves onto machines.They loosen the fittings to the point that continuity is often totality lost.Ridged or threaded aluminum is a different story but i still run a wire.Inpectors like to see it and i find more EMT installations with grounding conductors than not.

Guys, you're not seeing the real danger here. This reporter guy IS ON TO US!!!! He actually read THE CODE BOOK!!!
More than I can say for some other posters. Ooops sorry, thats part of the secret too.

Again it comes down to the installation, of course that can happen.

If you think it will be subject to that sort of damage IMO you should run it differently or install more supports or switch from EMT to IMC.

The addition of a copper grounding conductor does not mean we can then let all the fittings fall apart and that seems to be what you are saying.

Bob

I feel the NEC should 100% prohibit the use of EMT as a fault path in lieu of a dedicated grounding conductor. There are too many chances for the EMT's ground continuity to be broken, and it could become energized. A dedicated ground conductor would be connected to the conduit system at multiple points (pigtails at junction boxes connected to grounding screw, for example) and dramatically reduce the chance that ground continuity would be completely lost, even if a locknut became loose or was removed entirely.

Just as using interior water pipes as a ground path is unsafe because of the possibility they could become energized if ground continuity were lost, the code should also view EMT without a dedicated ground conductor in a similar light.


[This message has been edited by newsgraphics (edited 11-11-2005).]

I always pull a wire, I feel it's cheap insurance. But that's me. It adds up in bigger jobs and we all know that lots of times, the low bidder gets the job. It's very common around here to see raceways used as the sole egc.

I don't see 6" of wire coming into that box from any direction (especially from the right-hand side).