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Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Question:

Dear Friends,

If an isolated ground receptacle and the circuit is installed in a general care patient location, how many equipment grounding conductors are required in the outlet box?

Tim Foran

A

Answer:

Hello Tim,

The response presumes the IG receptacle and circuit is outside the patient vicinity, as provided in 517.16(A). The answer is three equipment grounding conductor paths would be required. The driving text in Section 517.16 indicates that the isolated grounding receptacle and circuit shall not defeat the features of the grounding system required by 517.13.  Path one: The metal raceway or suitable armor of MC or AC cable required by 517.13(A), Path two: the insulated copper equipment grounding conductor required by 517.13(B), Path three: the isolated, insulated equipment grounding conductor that connects directly to the IG receptacle, in accordance with 517.16(B) and 250.146(D). 

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