Thanks Matt,
How's the weather by the Lake? It's drying out nicely down here.
I don't see what I'm missing yet, either.
1996 NEC 200-7. Use of White or Natural Gray Color. A Continuous white or natural gray covering on a conductor or a termination marking of white or natural gray color shall be used only for the grounded conductor.
Exception No. 1: An insulated conductor with a white or natural gray finish shall be permitted as an ungrounded conductor where permanently re-identified to indicate its use, by painting or other effective means at its termination, and at each location where the conductor is visible and accessible.
Exception No. 2: A cable containing an insulated conductor with a white or natural gray outer finish shall be permitted for single-pole, 3-way, or 4-way switch loops where the white or natural gray conductor is used for the supply to the switch, but not as a return conductor from the switch to the switched outlet. In these applications, re-identification of the white or natural gray conductor shall not be required.
Ex. 3 & Ex. 4 don't pertain at the moment.
200-7 by itself, not looking at the exceptions, hypothetically, says the white or gray can
only be used as a grounded conductor. (That's in raceways, cables, cords, whatever, no limits are posted on the statement.)
Adding Exception 1 modifies the blanket statement of 200-7 by allowing a white or gray to be used as an ungrounded conductor when it is re-identified. Now, if this is where section 200-7 ended, we would've been always re-identifying the white in a cable assembly whether used in a switch loop or not. (Again, this Exception applies in raceways, cables, cords, whatever.)
Adding Exception 2 modifies
both 200-7 and 200-7 Ex 1
together by allowing cable containing a white or natural gray conductor not to be re-identified when installed as described.
This is the exception for the exception. IMO. As long as I carefully install the white, I don't have to re-identify it. I can re-identify it if I wish to take the time. If I re-identify the white wire, I am complying with exception 1. I
"shall be permitted" to not re-identify. Notice that Ex. 2
doesn't say "I shall not re-identify". Re-identification "shall not be required" is totally different than: Re-identification shall not be done."
You know? As I get into this I don't even see where 1996
requires a
re-identified white in a cable to only connect as the supply for a switch. The option to not mark the white is given when it comes from a cable and is installed in certain places in the switch loop. That's all.
Fascinating.
Sorry for the length. I got wound up. Mmmm, strong coffee is Good coffee.
Al