Equipment Grounding Conductor

NEC 250.122 Calculations

By: Aisha Bajwa - Field Application Engineer, Alcan Cable

Executive Summary
Observing proper grounding and bonding processes and
employing reliable materials are essential considerations that
contribute to the safety of personnel and equipment over the
lifetime of an electrical system.
Properly following the general requirements for grounding
and bonding articulated in Section 250.4 (A) of the National
Electric Code (NEC) can prevent injuries by limiting the
voltage imposed by incidents such as lightning strikes, line
surges, or unintentional contact with higher voltage lines.
While the processes for grounding and bonding are
straightforward, well known, and commonly practiced,
material selection for equipment grounding conductor (EGC)
is not such a cut-and-dry affair. Where copper was formerly
the universally approved choice, the performance of aluminum
alloy in EGC has earned the respect it deserves.
Within the context provided by Section 250.122 of the NEC,
this paper will examine the functionality, effectiveness, and
practicality of combining an aluminum alloy EGC with
aluminum phase conductors.
Types of Equipment Grounding Conductors
Since the late 1960s, technology used in electrical components
has improved tremendously. In particular, advancements in
aluminum alloy manufacturing have resulted in more secure
and reliable electrical systems at reduced material cost. In the
late 1970s, improved dual-rated (ALCU, AL7CU, and AL9CU)
connectors that could be used with both aluminum and copper
conductors became widely available. Simultaneously, the range
of EGC options opened up considerably.
NEC Section 250.118 provides a list of possible EGC options.
In many cases, the requirements in this list articulate a need
for the EGC to run with or enclosing the circuit conductors.
Acceptable EGCs shall consist of any of the following:

A copper, aluminum, or copper-clad aluminum

conductor. This conductor shall be solid or stranded;
insulated, covered, or bare; and in the form of a wire or a
busbar of any shape.
Rigid metal conduit (RMC)
Intermediate metal conduit(IMC)

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Electrical metallic tubing (EMT)

Listed flexible metal conduit (FMC)
Flexible metal tubing (FMT)
Type AC cable (BX)
Listed liquidtight flexible metal conduit (LTFC)
Mineral insulated sheathed cable (MI)
Type MC Cable
Cable trays
Cablebus framework
Other listed electrically continuous metal raceways
Surface metal raceways listed for grounding

Notable in this list is the opportunity represented by the

inclusion of aluminum alloy EGCs. Indeed, the advances in
the 1960s and 1970s enabled a more harmonized system using
similar metals for both the conductor and connector. The
connector body itself is made of aluminum alloy with a
tinplating to mitigate galvanic corrosion when copper
conductor terminations are made on aluminum alloy
connectors.
The NEC acknowledges these advancements and recognizes
the use of aluminum alloy conductors such as STABILOY
AA-8030 conductors. Section 310.106(B) in the 2011 NEC,
states that solid aluminum conductors size 8 AWG, 10 AWG,
and 12 AWG shall be made of an AA-8000 series electricalgrade aluminum alloy conductor material, and stranded
aluminum conductors 8 AWG through 1000 kcmil shall be
made of AA-8000 series electrical-grade aluminum alloy
conductor material for most insulation types.
It is clear in the NEC that aluminum alloy conductors are
an acceptable and equal choice for equipment grounding
conductors. Table 250.122 includes both copper and aluminum
conductor sizing for equipment grounding conductors.
Despite this affirmation by the NEC, and the fact that the
AA-8000 series aluminum alloy has been in use for more than
40 years, a tendency toward choosing copper EGCs for use
with aluminum phase conductors persists within the industry.
However, it is likely that the perception of copper as the default
choice for EGCs will continue to fade over time as awareness
of the NEC compliance of aluminum alloy EGCs and the
economic benefits of choosing aluminum alloy become better
known. There is no engineering benefit to using a copper
EGC with aluminum phase conductors, and it simply adds cost
without benefit.

Three Ravinia Drive, Suite 1600, Atlanta, GA 30346 | Tel (770) 394-9886 Toll Free (800) 347-0571 | www.cable.alcan.com | 2010 Alcan Cable.

Identification of Equipment Grounding Conductors

Sizing of Equipment Grounding Conductors

Being able to visually isolate and identify EGCs is a very

important safety consideration, and is key to prevention of
electrical accidents. Section 250.119 of the NEC explains
the identification of EGCs for use with conductors larger than
6 AWG (250.119 (A)), multi-conductor cable (250.119 (B)),
and flexible cords (250.119 (C)). According to the NEC, EGCs
can be bare, insulated, or covered, unless stipulated otherwise
elsewhere in the NEC. Individually covered or insulated EGCs
should have a continuous outer finish that is either green or
green with one or more yellow stripes and to accentuate
differentiation this color scheme is not permitted for
ungrounded or grounded circuit conductors.

The purpose of EGCs is to provide a low-impedance, groundfault current path that reduces equipment to as close to zero
potential as possible. NEC Table 250.122 relates the selection
of size-appropriate EGC to the size of the over-current device
ahead of the conductor. Section 250.122 (A) clearly states that
aluminum and copper EGCs shall not be smaller than the
values presented in this table, but also states that they are not
required to be larger than the circuit conductors supplying the
equipment.

EGCs larger than 6 AWG, whether aluminum or copper, that

are insulated or covered, shall be color-coded at each end and
at every point where the conductor is accessible.
Installation of Equipment Grounding Conductors
Optimal location is a crucial factor in achieving minimal
impedance in an AC grounding system. Even if a sufficiently
sized EGC is used, electrical hazard can manifest if it is not
properly located and installed. To this end, Section 250.134
(B) requires that EGCs be installed in the same raceway, cable
or cord as the circuit conductors. This requirement, in similar
form, is again reiterated in Section 300.3 (B), which expresses
the need for EGCs to be installed in the same raceway, cable,
trench, etc. with the other circuit conductors.

As a rule-of-thumb (using calculations for verification), EGCs

should not be less than 25 percent of the capacity of the phase
conductors or the over-current device.
Table 250.122 Minimum Size Equipment Grounding
Conductors for Grounding Raceway and Equipment
Rating or Setting of
Automatic Overcurrent
Device in Circuit Ahead of
Equipment, Conduit, etc.,
Not Exceeding (Amperes)

The purpose of the EGC is to bond non-current carrying

parts of the electrical system and provide a low impedance
path for ground fault current, allowing for effective clearing of
ground faults. Routing the EGC with the circuit conductors is
required by the NEC in most cases.
EGCs should be installed in accordance with Section 250.120
(A), (B), and (C). These NEC entries require that installation
within a raceway, cable tray, cable armor, cablebus framework,
or cable sheath be installed with applicable code provisions,
and that all terminations and joints be listed, approved, and
tightly secured with appropriate tools.
While both bare and insulated aluminum or copper-clad
aluminum EGCs are permitted, Section 250.120(B), requires
that bare conductors not come into direct contact with
masonry, earth or any region where they may be subjected
to corrosive conditions. Further, aluminum or copper-clad
aluminum should not be terminated within 18 inches of the
earths surface the intention of this restriction is to avoid
corrosion of the aluminum by contact with certain types of soil
(for example, soils that contain certain salts and/or alkaline pH
levels).

Alcan Cable

Size (AWG or kcmil)

Copper

Aluminum or
Copper-Clad
Aluminum*

15

14

12

20

12

10

60

10

100

200

300

400

500

1/0

600

2/0

800

1/0

3/0

1000

2/0

4/0

1200

3/0

250

1600

4/0

350

2000

250

400

2500

350

600

3000

400

600

4000

500

750

5000

700

1200

6000

800

1200

Note: Where necessary to comply with 250.4(A)(5) or (B)(4), the equipment

grounding conductor shall be sized larger than given in this table.
*See installation restrictions in 250.120.

Example 1 shows an EGCs minimum size based on the overcurrent protection device (OCPD).

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Example 1:

What size aluminum equipment grounding conductor is

needed for a 400A circuit breaker protecting the feeder
circuit?

Solution:

Referencing NEC Table 250.122, listing of minimum

sizes of EGCs based on the over-current device rating, we
see under the over-current device column, that a 1 AWG
aluminum EGC meets the minimum requirement for a
400A circuit breaker.

Size Increase Requirements

Sometimes higher voltage drop or other adjustments or
correction factors require that phase conductors be increased
in size. Under these circumstances, Section 250.122 (B)
requires a proportional increase in the size of the EGC. The
National Electrical Code Chapter 9, Table 8 contains
information that can be used to determine the appropriate
size EGCs based on the circular mil area of the ungrounded
conductors.
Example 2:

For a 100A load, what size of aluminum EGC should

be used when the phase conductors are increased in size
to compensate for a higher voltage drop?

Solution:

Step 1: Considering a voltage drop, select phase

conductor from Table 310.15(B)(16) for a100A

load.

As per Table 250.122, a 100A OCPD requires a 6

AWG aluminum conductor. From Table 310.5(B)
(16), a 100A load will need 1 AWG aluminum
conductors. To compensate for a voltage drop, the
conductor size is increased to 1/0 AWG aluminum.

Step 2: Find circular mils of conductors from Table 8

in Chapter 9.

Required conductor area (CM) = original wire

size without VD = 1 AWG Al = 83,690 CM
Selected conductor area (CM) = increased
wire size with VD = 1/0 AWG Al = 105,600 CM
Minimum EGC wire size = 6 AWG Al =
26,240 CM

Alcan Cable

Step 3: Calculate which new EGC is to be used by taking

into account the size increase of the phase

conductors.

Ratio = Selected conductor area (CM)

Required conductor area (CM)

Ratio = 105,600 / 83,690 = 1.262

New equipment grounding conductor =

Conductor area of original EGC * Ratio

= 26240 * 1.262

= 33,115 CM

NEC Table 8 in Chapter 9 shows us the circular mil

area of the smallest conductor that is larger than the
calculated value is a 4 AWG aluminum at 41,740 CM.
So, the size of the new EGC is 4 AWG aluminum.

Multiple Circuits
Section 250.122 (C) mentions that when a single EGC is run
within a raceway with multiple circuits, it should be sized for
the largest over-current device present.
Example 3:

Find the EGC for a conduit that contains multiple circuits

with over-current protections ratings of 20A, 30A, 40A,
and 50A.

Solution:

OCPD are 20A, 30A, 40A, and 50A. Per 250.122 (C) the
size of the EGC should be for the largest over-current
device.

In this example the largest OCPD ahead of the circuit

is 50A. Since a 50A designation is not provided in
Table 250.122, we reference the next larger size, which is
60A. Minimum aluminum EGC is 8 AWG.

Conductors in Parallel
When using EGCs for conductors in parallel runs, Section
250.122 (F) is our point of reference. Whether or not to
install parallel conductors is largely determined by design and
economic considerations. Ampacities for aluminum and
copper conductors are given in Table 310.15(B)(16). Notice
that they do not increase in direct proportion to the size of the
conductors. The general requirements of parallel conductor
installations are given in Section 310.10(H) of the NEC, where
it is required that each set of conductors must be comprised
of the same conductor material and insulation type, must be

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of the same dimensions in both circular mil area and length,

and must be terminated in the same manner. Also, each run
should have separate EGCs in each conduit. The reason for this
is to ensure that each EGC is adequately sized to facilitate low
impedance values during a ground fault in order to prevent
damage due to overloading. And remember, EGCs never have
to be larger than the phase conductors of the circuit according
to Section 250.122(A).
The rationale behind the requirements in Section 310.10(H)
is to keep equal current in parallel sets and avoid insulation
damage from severe current imbalances. Please notice again,
referencing Table 250.122, that there is no need to use copper
EGCs if the phase conductors are aluminum. The only
requirement here is that parallel EGCs must be of the same
material.
Cable assemblies, such as Metal Clad (MC) Cable, are
manufactured in standard conductor configurations, and
while the EGCs in cable assemblies are sized for many circuit
arrangements, it is not safe to assume that they are suitable
for all parallel circuit arrangements. It is very important to
confirm that the EGC in each assembly is sized according to
Table 250.122 using the size of the over-current device as the
determining factor.

Example 4:

A 2000A feeder is installed in parallel using 6 Metal Clad
(MC) type cables. Each set contains four 600 kcmil
aluminum alloy conductors. What is the minimum size
EGC that can be used?

Solution:

From Table 250.122, we see that a 2000A OCPD requires

at a minimum that a 400 kcmil aluminum EGC be
installed in each MC Cable assembly.

Section 250.122 (G), which refers to the selection of EGC for

feeder taps, shows the EGC run with feeder taps shall not
be smaller than the values presented in Table 250.122 that
reference the rating of the over-current device ahead of the
feeder. It also shows that they are not required to be larger than
the tap conductor.

should be permanent; it should be electrically continuous; and

it should facilitate the lowest possible impedance.
Due to pervasive and persistent misunderstandings about the
suitability of aluminum alloy EGCs for use with aluminum
phase conductors, many designers still unnecessarily specify
the use of copper EGCs. Section 250.118 clearly accepts the
use of aluminum EGCs and reaffirms it in Table 250.122. Both
copper and aluminum EGCs facilitate sufficiently low
impedance path levels provided they are of the appropriate
size, which is determined by the over-current device ahead of
the circuit.
All aluminum alloy conductors, including EGCs, must
terminate on connectors listed for use with aluminum. These
connectors are typically dual-rated for both aluminum and
copper. In 1978, dual-rated (ALCU, AL7CU, and AL9CU)
aluminum body lugs were introduced and tested in accordance
with UL 486B. These dual-rated connectors are suitable for
both copper and aluminum conductors and are made of an
aluminum alloy.
Considering more than a century of withstanding natures
harshest conditions in electrical transmission line systems,
decades of use for EGCs in buildings, and growing awareness
of the economic value it offers, aluminum finally appears to be
getting the attention it deserves on the drafting table and on
the job site.
References
Simmons, Philip J., Electrical Grounding and Bonding, 2nd ed:199-227
National Electrical Code NFPA: 2011 ed..
[Soares]. Book on Grounding and Bonding, IAEI: 9th edition: 160-207
Michael Johnston.,Equipment Grounding Conductors for Parallel
Runs.
Hunter, Christel. Aluminum Building Wire Installation and
Terminations. IAEI News (January/February 2006)

Conclusion
EGCs are an indispensable aspect of grounding and bonding
safeguards in electrical installation projects. They not only
protect circuits and equipment, but also help eliminate the
risk of electrical shock. In order to achieve the desired level
of impedance, sizing of EGCs is very important and can
be accomplished using the details in Section 250.122 of the
NEC. Ultimately, the proper grounding of electrical equipment
requires adherence to three fundamentals: the grounding path

Alcan Cable

Three Ravinia Drive, Suite 1600, Atlanta, GA 30346 | Tel (770) 394-9886 Toll Free (800) 347-0571 | www.cable.alcan.com
2011 Alcan Cable. STABILOY is a registered trademark of Alcan Cable, a division of Alcan Products Corporation. All rights reserved.