What’s Wrong Here? Hint: This Has Me Seeing Red
Hint: This has me seeing red
I have no idea what this installer was trying to accomplish by terminating red conductors on the terminal bar for the grounded neutral conductors. I do know, however, that using red conductors as grounded conductors does not comply with the requirements in Sec. 200.6.
For insulated conductor 6 AWG and smaller, Sec. 200.6(A) requires the use of a continuous white or gray outer finish as the means for identifying grounded conductors. Using a red conductor having three white or gray stripes along the entire length of the conductor is another option permitted by Sec. 200.6(A)(3). Section 200.6(A)(4) also permits conductors with a white or gray outer covering having a colored tracer thread. In this case, none of those methods were used here. For insulated conductors, 4 AWG and larger, Sec. 200.6(B)(4) allows the use of white or gray markings at conductor terminations to identify grounded conductors, but that method is not permitted for these smaller conductors. A few other means of identifying grounded conductors are permitted by Sec. 200.6(A)(5) through (8) for certain types of conductors but do not apply to this installation.
About the Author
Russ LeBlanc
Owner
Russ started in the electrical trade as an apprentice in 1985. He worked his way up to become a Journeyman Electrician and then eventually became a Master Electrician and Licensed Construction Supervisor. In 1999 Russ become an Electrical Instructor for The Peterson School of Engineering in Massachusetts where he developed his passion for teaching, and quickly became Department Head of Electrical Instruction. Russ has taught thousands of apprentices, electricians, engineers, inspectors, and other electrical professionals during his career as an instructor. He continues to provide electrical professionals with Electrical Code seminars, Arc-Flash Awareness training seminars and educational material through his LeBlanc Consulting Services in North Reading, MA whose specialty is educating electricians. He has been an active member of the NFPA Electrical Section and has authored hundreds of National Electrical Code proposals and comments which have become Code rules to improve the safety for the electrical industry. Russ is also an IAEI certified Electrical Inspector.
Please visit www.russleblanc.net for more information.