TABLE 250.66 Grounding Electrode Conductor for Alternating-Current Systems Size of Largest Ungrounded Service-Entrance Conductor or Size of Grounding Equivalent Area for Parallel Electrode Conductor Conductors* (AWG/kemil) (AWG/kemil) Aluminum or Aluminum or Copper-Clad Copper-Clad Copper Aluminum Copper Aluminum? 2 or smaller 1/0 or smaller 8 Lor 1/0 2/0 or 3/0 6 2/0 or 3/0 4/0 or 250 4 Over 3/0 through = Over 250 2 1/0 350 through 500 Over 350 through = Over 500 1/0 3/0 600 through 900 Over 600 through Over 900 2/0 4/0 1100 through 1750 Over 1100 Over 1750 3/0 250 Notes: 1. Where multiple sets of service-entrance conductois are used as per- mitted in 230.40, Exception No. 2, the equivalent size of the largest service-entrance conductor shall be determined by the largest sum of the areas of the corresponding conductors of each set. 2. Where there are no service-entrance conductors, the grounding250.122 TABLE 250.122 Minimum Size Equipment Grounding Conductors for Grounding Raceway and Equipment Size (AWG or kemil) Rating or Setting of Automatic Overcurrent Device in Circuit Aluminum or Ahead of Equipment, Conduit, Copper-Clad etc., Not Exceeding (Amperes) Copper = Aluminum* 15 14 12 20 12 10 ° 60 10 8 100 8 6 200 6 4 300 4 2 400 3 1 500 2 1/0 600 1 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 (B) Increased in Size. Where ungrounded conductors are increased in size, equipment grounding conductors, where installed, shall be increased in size proportionately accord- ing to the circular mil area of the ungrounded conductors. aoe to be co 250.122(B): insulation temperature rating | allows. for, compliance with 268 - conductor. Again, referring to Chapter 9, Table 8, we find ~ copper equipment grounding conductor: cuits in the raceway because it is not anticipated that all ~ cuits will develop faults at the same time, For example, three »3-phase circuits in the same raceway, protected by. overcur- stent devices rated 30, 60, and 100 amperes, would require “ _ only one equipment grounding conductor, sized according to ‘the largest overcittent device (in this case, 100 amperes). . - Therefore, an 8 AWG copper or 6 AWG aluminum conduc- tor oF copper-clad aluminum conductor i is required, accord. _ ing to Table 250.122: : : ered in applying the provisions of : ome cases, use of a conductor with a higher d Article 250 * Grounding and Bonding a ampacity adjustment and cozrection requirements without. having to increase the circular mil area of the conductor. Caiculation Example : A 240-volt, single-phase, 250-ampete load is supplied | from a300-ampere breaker located in‘a panelboard-500 ft away. The conductors are 250-kcmil copper,:installed in rigid nonmetallic conduit, with a 4 AWG copper equipment grounding conductor ‘If the conductors are incteased to. 350 kemil, what is the minimum size for the equipment grounding conductor based on the proportional: ‘increase : requirement? : s Solution Step 1, Calculate the size tatio of the new conductors to the existing conductors: ; : 350,000 circular mils — 250,000 circular mils ~ * Srep2. Calculate the cross-sectional ‘area of the new equip: ment grounding conductor: ae : 41,740 citcular mils X 1.4 = 58,436 circular mils According to:Chapter 9, Table 8, 4 AWG; the size of the existing grounding conductor, has a cross-sectional ; area of 41,740 circular mils oa Srep 3. Determine the size of the new equipment grounding Size ratio= that 58,436 circtilar mils is larger than 3 AWG. The next | larger sizé is 66,360,circular mils, which converts to a 2AWG : (C) Multiple Circuits. Where a single equipment ground- ing conductor is run with multiple circuits in the same race- way, cable, or cable tray, it shall be sized for the largest overcurrent device protecting conductors in the raceway, cable, or cable tray. Equipment grounding conductors in- stalled in cable trays shall meet the minimum requirements of 392.10(B)(1)(c). » According to 250-122(C):a single equipment grounding conductor must be sized for the largest overcurrent déVice. Tt is not required to be sized for the composite‘of all the 2011 National Electrical Code Handbook (D) Motor Circuits. Equipment grounding conductors for motor circuits shal] be sized in accordance with (D)(1) or )2) (1) General. The equipment grounding conductor size shall not be smaller than determined by 250.122(A) based on the rating of the branch-circuit short-circuit and ground- fault protective device (2) Instantaneous-Trip Circuit Breaker and Motor Short-Circuit Protector. Where the overcurrent device is an instantaneous-trip circuit breaker or a motor short- circuit protector, the equipment grounding conductor shall be sized not smaller than that given by 250.122(A) using the maximum permitted rating of a dual element time-de- lay fuse selected for branch-circuit short-circuit and ground-fault protection in accordance with 430.52(C)(1), Exception No. 1. (E) Flexible Cord and Fixture Wire. The equipment grounding conductor in a flexible cord with the largest cir- cuit conductor 10 AWG or smaller, and the equipment grounding conductor used with fixture wires of any size in accordance with 240.5, shall not be smaller than 18 AWG copper and shall not be smaller than the circuit conductors. The equipment grounding conductor in a flexible cord with a circuit conductor larger than 10 AWG shall be sized in ac- cordance with Table 250.122. (F) Conductors in Parallel. Where conductors are in a in ca. in multiple raceways or cables as perm National Electrical Code Handbook 2011 Article 250 « Grounding and Bonding —_— 250.122 alleled grounding conductors only for overcurrent condi-, tions downstream of the paralleled set of circuit conductors. : 51 shows a parallel arrangement with installed underground. For. clari one-line he Singrit wil h eamhipmaent grounding onductors i Is nonmetallic conduit Parallel conductors in two nonmetallic raceways: Phasé-to-ground fault: the: Ground fault.