The NEC has requirements for the jacket color (if covered) of equipment grounds. However, I can't find any such requirements for bond or grounding electrode conductors. What code reference would keep me from using a pink colored #6 Cu Thhn as a grounding electrode conductor to the water pipe (within 5' of its entrance to 100A serviced home) and then to bond around the water meter with a yellow wire of the same size?

BTW, I used #6 in my example instead of the minimum #8 since it can be run without any protection. I just wanted to state this so that there was no confusion.

[This message has been edited by triple (edited 12-07-2005).]

Triple, there is nothing prohibiting this as far as the NEC is concerned.

Roger

Thank you Roger for your response.

I'd like to take this question one step further. Obviously I could not use white or gray in the above example since those colors are reserved for the grounded conductor. However, green wire (or black taped green) is often used for the grounding electrode conductor and/or bonding wires. Is this actually NEC compliant? Isn't green technically a color reserved for the equipment ground?

The code did not restrict the use of green for other purposes prior to the 2005 code. In the 2005 code the use of green is restricted to "grounding conductors". That will permits using green for GECs.
Don

Triple:
IMHO, 'green' or grn w/yellow stripe is the designated color for EGC, as well as bare.

As to using any of the above for the bond, I do not know of any NEC Article that would prevent it.

John

I have looked at lots of GECs, they called me the grounding inspector. Green tape over black THHN is the norm if it was insulated at all. That pretty much means it could be any color with green tape. I even think it could be white by the definition of "grounded conductor" but the confusion factor would have me asking for a penny's worth of green tape.

I made a proposal to the 2005 Code that the GEC be identified in panels and switchboards to reduce confusion.
It was rejected.
Most electricians do this as a good work practice but, it is not required by the Code.
On inspections I "recommend" that the GEC be identified, and usually it is but I can't require it.
Alan--

Remember the thread we had going a few years back, regarding the color of the GEC?

It was a very informative thread!

Let me do a search for it, and insert a link.

Scott 35.

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***UPDATE***

Found the thread - it's a "Two-Page'r"!

Color Code For GEC in a Main Service Panel
https://www.electrical-contractor.net/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000956.html

Scott35

[This message has been edited by Scott35 (edited 12-10-2005).]

As it shoukd have been. Who exactly was confused?

I bet that's not all they called you. What is your basis for requiring this?

I didn't say I required the green tape, that is usually what I saw.

I am on the side of those who say this is undefined

I was always taught that green tape on the GEC was a no-no- and it always seemed silly to me. This wire, after all, gets connected to all the same place as all the green wires!

More to the point, when I do a service change on an old house, it can sometimes be a bit dificult to figure out just which black-fabric covered wire is the "former GEC, now water bond" wire. Sure would hate to confuse it with a, say, range conductor and heat it up!

no requirement for the GEC, but if you put the bonding jumper in a raceway it has to comply with 250.119- according to 205.102(e)