Ok, I am struggling to find the answer to minimum wire size allowed to be encased in concrete. My situation is a parking lot light with with #6 AWG encased in the concrete from the ground rod…I see that #4 is the minimum for rebar connection i.e. ufer, but does that apply to this ground rod? I feel like since #6 needs physical protection, it would also need physical protection coming up the sauna tube and out of the concrete pad for the light pole, however my foreman disagrees and is using #6 instead of # 4 regardless of my input regarding physical protection for # 6.

Thoughts???

As always thanks for all you guys do and the great combined experiences/knowledge of our trade.

H20

250.64(B)(3) allows you to just let the #6 to stick up out of the concrete but as an installer I would stub it up in a dollar's worth of RNC. The chance of it surviving until they set the pole is better. #4 might be better if it was tied to the steel and there was no visqueen under the slab but you still can't legally call it a ufer.