This article was posted 11/30/-0001 and is most likely outdated.

Grounding vs Bonding: 250.146 Connecting Receptacle Grounding Terminal to Box
 

 
Subject - Grounding vs Bonding: 250.146 Connecting Receptacle Grounding Terminal to Box

September 8, 2006  

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250.146 Connecting Receptacle Grounding Terminal to Box

Receptacles must have their grounding contacts connected to an effective ground-fault current path by bonding the receptacle’s grounding terminal to a metal box, unless the receptacle’s grounding terminal is grounded (bonded) to an effective ground-fault current path by one of the methods provided in (A) through (D). See 406.3 for additional details. Figure 250–186

Author’s Comment: The NEC does not restrict the position of the receptacle grounding terminal; it can be up, down, or sideways. All Code proposals to specify the mounting position of receptacles have been rejected. Figure 250–187
(A) Surface-Mounted Box. Where the box is mounted on the surface, direct metal-to-metal contact between the device yoke and the box can serve as the effective ground-fault current path. To ensure an effective ground-fault current path between the receptacle and metal box, at least one of the insulating retaining washers on the yoke screw must be removed. Figure 250–188

Receptacles secured to a metal cover [406.4(C)] must have the receptacle’s grounding terminal bonded to the box, unless the box and cover are listed as providing continuity between the box and the receptacle. Figure 250–189

(B) Self-Grounding Receptacles. Receptacle yokes designed and listed as self-grounding can be used to establish the effective ground-fault current path between the device yoke and a metal outlet box. Figure 250–190

Author’s Comment: Outlet boxes cannot be set back more than 1⁄4 in. from the finished mounting surface [314.20].



Figure 250–186
(Click on image to enlarge)


Figure 250–187
(Click on image to enlarge)


Figure 250–188
(Click on image to enlarge)


Figure 250–189
(Click on image to enlarge)


Figure 250–190
(Click on image to enlarge)

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Comments
  • Pulling in redundant equipment grounding conductor into all metal conduits in all occupancies is CHEAP insurance. British wiring rules require a redundant grounding wire all metal conduits all occupancies and I have opened up enough walls and reconnected EMT enough times ( once ) to know why they have this rule.

    All of the gasoline station equipment manufacturers in the U.S. also have such a specification for their equipment.

    On 200Y380 to 347Y600 volts and any ungrounded system you definitely do need a green wire in all metal conduits just in case of a weak joint.

    If you need to do a funny bend or offset in a larger conduit using a section of liquidtight flexible metal conduit an internal redundant equipment grounding conductor saves on needing a box at each end of the flexible conduit and only an external bonding jumper is needed to get full compliance.

    Mike Cole mc5w at earthlink dot net

    Michael R. Cole
    Reply to this comment

  • How about isolated ground systems?

    Laszlo Weress
    Reply to this comment
  • Reply from: Mike Holt   
    That will be covered in 250.146(D), next week.
    Reply to Mike Holt


  • Mike is polling green ground wire from box to box in emt a waest of money ? i Green in all condoti .

    Chris
    Reply to this comment

  • The code at one time stated, perhaps it still does, that the threads of the mounting screws on a receptacle are not sufficient for a ground. That is why inspectors wanted a bonding wire from the ground screw to the back of the box. My question is how a self grounding receptacle over comes this as the threads are all that makes contact unless the yoke has phyisical contact with the metal part of the box?

    Norm
    Reply to this comment
  • Reply from: Mike Holt   
    The NEC never had such a statement. But, the problem was not the screw, it was the contact resistance of the screw to the metal mounting yoke (strap). This problem was easily solved by the wiring device manufactures by a brass clip that secures the screw to the mounting yoke of the device.
    Reply to Mike Holt

    Reply from: Mike Holt   
    The NEC does not require the screw to be green.
    Reply to Mike Holt



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