On Fri, 1 Apr 2011 19:56:33 -0400, "RBM" wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 1 Apr 2011 18:31:03 -0400, "RBM" wrote:


"Mikepier" wrote in message
...
** MC cable has an additional copper ground conductor-

Yes, that is known as MC lite with the aluminum clad . But the old BX
relied on the steel clad for a ground.

** and the new BX (AC) lite relies on it's aluminum shield for it's
ground.

All but the very oldest BX cable had a flat bonding conductor inside
that was to be used, NOT the sheath.
The new BX (plastic insulated cable instead of rubber, with "raffia"
liner) virtually all had a bare copper ground.

Now, to get down to the real differences on CURRENT spiral wound
metallic sheithed cable.

There are 3 basic types, MC, AC, and MC/AP

MC has an insulated green or green and yellow ground.
AC has a bare copper ground.
MC/AP has a full sized copper ground wire attached full length to the
sheath, allowing the sheath to be used as safety ground - but that
wire is cut flush with the sheath and REQUIRES special connectors
where the cable enters the metal box.

I don't know where you come up with your nonsense. For one thing, the
bonding wire inside some AC cable was to assure a fault current path, and
was never connected to anything .

I was always told that the bond wire was not for fault current. It
was to short the coils of steel so there were no induced current, but
I was not able to find a cite faster than I lost interest.


I have several coils of AC cable in my truck, none of which have a grounding
conductor, copper, or otherwise, insulated or bare.