Mike Dolt Enterprises
Mike Dolt Enterprises
User: Evan McArthur, Location: Albuquerque, NM
Asked on: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 at 1:34 pm EST
Answered on: Thursday, March 6, 2025 at 9:22 am EST
Question: If an insulated copper EGC is running in underground PVC, does the insulation have to be wet location rated? NEC 2023 250.118(A)(1) allows the EGC to be bare copper, my assumption would be that the insulation rating is made irrelevant by that statement since the copper conductor does not require corrosion protection.
You are correct in your interpretation. NEC 250.118(A)(1) allows bare copper conductors for EGCs. If you use bare copper, then insulation, regardless of rating, isn't a factor.However, if you choose to use an insulated conductor for the EGC in that application, the NEC does not require it to be wet-location rated. 310.10(C)(1) requires conductors in wet locations to be listed and identified for use in wet locations, but that section applies to general conductor applications and not specifically to equipment grounding conductors. 250.118(A)(1) specifies the requirements for EGC conductors and it allows a bare conductor in a wet location. If a bare conductor is allowed then an insulated conductor is allowed regardless of the insulation rating.Therefore, you do not need a wet-location rated insulation.
In summary: You can use bare copper for the EGC in underground PVC, per NEC 250.118(A)(1). If you choose to use an insulated EGC, the insulation is not required to be wet-location rated. Flag for review