Ecmweb Com Sites Ecmweb com Files Uploads 2014 04 352 60x2 01web

Code Q&A: Equipment Grounding Conductor in PVC?

April 10, 2014

Your most pressing National Electrical Code (NEC) questions answered

Q. Is an equipment grounding conductor always required in a PVC raceway between the electric utility meter and service disconnect?

Find the Answer

A. Typically, an equipment grounding conductor is required in PVC, and when that is the case, a separate equipment grounding conductor of the wire type must be installed within the conduit [300.2(B) and 352.60]. However, there is an exception that deals with service raceways.

Exception No. 2: An equipment grounding conductor isn’t required in PVC conduit if the neutral conductor is used to ground service equipment, as permitted in 250.142(A) [250.24(C)].

About the Author

Mike Holt

Mike Holt is the owner of Mike Holt Enterprises (www.MikeHolt.com), one of the largest electrical publishers in the United States. He earned a master's degree in the Business Administration Program (MBA) from the University of Miami. He earned his reputation as a National Electrical Code (NEC) expert by working his way up through the electrical trade. Formally a construction editor for two different trade publications, Mike started his career as an apprentice electrician and eventually became a master electrician, an electrical inspector, a contractor, and an educator. Mike has taught more than 1,000 classes on 30 different electrical-related subjects — ranging from alarm installations to exam preparation and voltage drop calculations. He continues to produce seminars, videos, books, and online training for the trade as well as contribute monthly Code content to EC&M magazine.