# Is this an electrical violation?  17 July 2019



## jar546 (Jul 17, 2019)

This is a service panel mounted outside.  Can you write this up?  If so, what would you cite?


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## mark handler (Jul 17, 2019)

*???????*


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## mark handler (Jul 17, 2019)

NEC 2017
300.4 Protection Against Physical Damage. Where subject to physical damage, conductors, raceways, and cables shall be protected.


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## jar546 (Jul 17, 2019)

mark handler said:


> NEC 2017
> 300.4 Protection Against Physical Damage. Where subject to physical damage, conductors, raceways, and cables shall be protected.



Oh I just love the phrase "subject to physical damage"


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## chris kennedy (Jul 17, 2019)

jar546 said:


> Oh I just love the phrase "subject to physical damage"



Could you point me in the direction of the exact definition of "physical damage" or "severe physical damage"?

It would make it so much more enjoyable for myself as an installer and you as an inspector to know exactly what the world agrees these terms mean.


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## jar546 (Jul 17, 2019)

chris kennedy said:


> Could you point me in the direction of the exact definition of "physical damage" or "severe physical damage"?
> 
> It would make it so much more enjoyable for myself as an installer and you as an inspector to know exactly what the world agrees these terms mean.



That is why I love the phrase 'subject to physical damage' because it is not defined and it is subjective.  Today, for example, the electrician replacing a service on a townhouse put the #4 GEC in conduit because in one particular jurisdiction, they make him.  I told him it was nice for him to do that but it is not required unless he was running a #8 GEC.


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## ICE (Jul 18, 2019)

(B) Securing and Protection Against Physical Damage.
Where exposed, a grounding electrode conductor or its enclosure shall be securely fastened to the surface on which it is carried. Grounding electrode conductors shall be permitted to be installed on or through framing members. A 4 AWG or larger copper or aluminum grounding electrode conductor shall be protected if exposed to physical damage. A 6 AWG grounding electrode conductor that is free from exposure to physical damage shall be permitted to be run along the surface of the building construction without metal covering or protection if it is securely fastened to the construction; otherwise, it shall be protected in rigid metal conduit RMC, intermediate metal conduit (IMC), rigid polyvinyl chloride conduit (PVC), reinforced thermosetting resin conduit (RTRC), electrical metallic tubing EMT, or cable armor. Grounding electrode conductors smaller than 6 AWG shall be protected in (RMC), IMC, PVC, RTRC, (EMT), or cable armor. 

There's at least 60' of GEC inside the building.....all of it in armor because of the little bit that's "exposed to physical damage."





Here again there's a bunch of it that is not exposed to physical to damage.





This one has both conditions with just one solution.





Here is an example of waiting to be physically damaged.


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