Wiring With MC - WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T DO WITH MC CABLE as an electrician

In this episode we talk in-depth about how to wire with MC cable, what the uses permitted and uses NOT permitted are, as well as securing and strapping and a whole host of other tips for use.

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MC vs AC
First off I suppose it’s good to point out the difference between AC and MC. A lot of people think that it’s the jacketing that separates the two, but actually, both come in steel and aluminum jacketing. Really it’s what’s inside that sets the two apart.

MC cable typically has either an insulated or bare FULL-SIZED equipment grounding conductor inside of it - or sometimes both depending on the purpose of the MC. AC has a small #16AWG equipment grounding conductor in it. The codes in the 2017 NEC have variations in them between MC and AC on things such as bushings as well as the bonding conductor requirements, that is all to say, they are not the same thing. Think Metallica and Megadeth or Audioslave and Soundgarden. Essentially the same…but different.

USES PERMITTED AND NOT PERMITTED
There are a lot more uses both permitted and not permitted in Article 330 covering MC cable than what I mention in the above video. But here are they are in totality (2017 NEC)

330.10 Uses Permitted.
330.10(A) General Uses.
Type MC cable shall be permitted as follows:
330.10(A)(1) For services, feeders, and branch circuits.
330.10(A)(2) For power, lighting, control, and signal circuits.
330.10(A)(3) Indoors or outdoors.
330.10(A)(4) Exposed or concealed.
330.10(A)(5) To be direct buried where identified for such use.
330.10(A)(6) In cable tray where identified for such use.
(((CONTINUED IN ARTICLE.....)))

330.12 Uses Not Permitted
Type MC cable shall not be used under either of the following conditions:
330.12(1) Where subject to physical damage
330.12(2) Where exposed to any of the destructive corrosive conditions in (a) or (b), unless the metallic sheath or armor is resistant to the conditions or is protected by material resistant to the conditions: 
(a) Direct buried in the earth or embedded in concrete unless identified for direct burial
(b) Exposed to cinder fills, strong chlorides, caustic alkalis, or vapors of chlorine or of hydrochloric acids

330.30 Securing and Supporting

330.30(A) General.

Type MC cable shall be supported and secured by staples; cable ties listed and identified for securement and support; straps, hangers, or similar fittings; or other approved means designed and installed so as not to damage the cable.

330.30(B) Securing.

Unless otherwise provided, cables shall be secured at intervals not exceeding 1.8 m (6 ft). Cables containing four or fewer conductors sized no larger than 10 AWG shall be secured within 300 mm (12 in.) of every box, cabinet, fitting, or other cable termination. In vertical installations, listed cables with ungrounded conductors 250 kcmil and larger shall be permitted to be secured at intervals not exceeding 3 m (10 ft).

#mccable #electrical #conductors
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[jjyemg]

I've been doing electrical work for 45 years. This guy is absolutely awesome. He's knowledgeable and a real person at the same time. Make sure you follow him if you want to learn the correct way and you're interested in code.

[Vinka]

I usually take pre-work out protein and think about all the people who did me wrong. That way I gain more strength from rage to pull that mc wire in between metal studs.

[Mark-eudi]

I am an electrical contractor with 35 yrs experience from heavy duty industrial to high end residential and I always like to listen to dustins videos because there’s always something to learn that you thought you knew but actually didn’t. Your never to old to learn a trick of the trade or somebody’s particular style of doing something that can benefit you or your company and save time and possibly may even be a safer way of performing a task. Great job Dustin!

[David-bsbv]

As a non-electrician, these videos help me understand and make better decisions when I diy stuff. It also teaches me when I'm over my head.

[ApresSavant]

We never use MC for horizontal exposed runs, but it finds extensive use for vertical drops from a junction box on that wall to a piece of vibrating equipment adjacent to it (and the associated service loop at said junction box is protected too). We never run it on the ground, always supported, and sometimes with a spring to take the load. The other time we use it is in kitchen island cabinets to the sockets mounted in them. We secure it well to protect it from homeowner general abuse over time (nothing to easily catch and pull). Once you get used to using it, it is not bad to work with, and I always exceed the minimums where reasonable - my philosophy is to never come back for rework. If someone complains during tearout that I over built, it means it did not burn down and I am good with that!

[ViolentPacifist]

Dustin....please keep doing what you are doing. I can't express how much your videos mean to us man. Not only is each video jam packed with good content(especially the helpful description you took the time to write up), but its reaffirmed that Electrician is the path I want to take in life. Shout out from your Nebraska fam. Your videos are reaching every state and inspiring/teaching more people than you could know.

[peterferello]

You were taught well. A clean worksite is a safe worksite. Those little pieces of cut armor can be like skates on cement. I always roll out cable before installing it and snap a line when I drill beams. Level holes make pulling cable so much easier. Great to see a young guy take pride in his craft!!

[AnN-pyem]

Besides the direction you pull MC, it also helps the direction you pull the MC through the stud. The studs are stamp cut with a lip on one side, pull the MC the direction the lip on the stud is facing as to not fight it and have the lip to catch on.

[stingrayb]

Thanks so much for your generosity in sharing this information and being the consummate professional. I'm not an electrician in-training, just a tech guy, DIY-type who endeavors to do quality-minded work, so I really appreciate your attention to detail and to meeting the requirements of the NEC. I'm one of those people who actually prefers armored cable over NM in a residential setting, though I'm really just doing it under permit in my parent's house, preparing it for eventual sale and trying to eliminate any electrical gotchas that would come up during pre-sale inspection. The house is circa 1960 and was wired on the cusp of the changeover from 2-prong to 3-prong receptacles and overall device grounding at each box. While the majority of the cabling does have vinyl insulation and a bonding strip, the electrician who did the original install gave my father a discount on his stock of the old BX he was trying to use up at the time. That's the horrible stuff with the waxed canvas sheathing over rubber insulation over tinned copper. You know that nightmare. Dries out at the ends with the insulation literally crumbling when you touch it. Plus there's no bonding strip along the armor so the NEC technically requires the use of GFCIs in order to have 3-prong receptacles present to compensate for the lack of a legit path to ground. It's been satisfying to replace almost all of the old canvas wiring with MC, correct the non-code add-on wiring done by my late father (liked using Romex in exposed areas and other "creative" applications), and ensure all the boxes and devices are properly bonded and grounded, respectively.


Before proceeding I did a lot of research related to the NEC and I've consulted a couple people in the know so I'm confident in the integrity of my work. Still, wish I had seen your video sooner for two tips in particular: (1) snipping the protruding edge created by the Roto-Strip and (2) the fact that the spiral of the armor is "directional". In areas of the basement where I added new home runs at least it's not too late to correct #1 by retracting the cable from the connectors just enough to clip the edge and reposition the bushing. A bit of a pain, but still fixable without having to take any connections apart.


Thanks again!

[cprfenom]

Your attention to detail and proffessionalism really come through in your videos. I am a Canadian Red seal electrician and a UK sparks and I love to listen to what you have to say. Great Video!

[TimboStang]

Everything you mentioned in this is spot on. 15 year electrician here from philly and I'm always telling helpers, use common sense and clean as you go makes easier in end. Also if your working near customers they can slip on that mc jacket if on floor. Just like you said USE COMMON SENSE!! love the videos been watching you for awhile. Keep up great work

[MrENT]

I feel like this channel is making me a better electrician. Love these video's.

[tombrown]

It can't be said enough, this is a tremendous educational channel!

[johnnjohnjon]

As a electrical controls specialist it’s important to pay attention to details when building cabinets and programs PLCs, it’s nice to see that regular electricians on the service side do the same ! Keep up the good work

[Hulious]

21:50 direction of the stud also plays a big part. It's the way the holes were stamped out during manufacturing

[bigpjohnson]

Great video! I have a old steel-framed house that was originally wired with Ragwire (insulation was almost cut in more than a few places), and when I remodeled I re-wired with MC cable. The electricians went through about 2, 500 ft of it, and they let me run another 1, 000 ft for can lights and 3- and 4-way switches on my own. It was a lot of work but everything runs great and is up to Code and should last a very long time.

[petereichert]

Watching you is addictive... watching you is seeing what I went thru as a service techinican. Love it.... brings back memories of what |I went thru. I always work solo so it was difficult.... never had anyone at the other end..

[garbo]

Never ran MC outdoors. Had a halve ass contractor use it to wire in 277 volt 4' luminares about 6' below a loading dock roof. Only problem is the ones closest to edge got wet everytime it rained. Some where in NEC it states a 45 degree rule for rain entrance. If angle from roof edge is 45 degrees or less you can not use MC cable. Was told this at a CEU class. Most commercial buildings near me have to be wired in with MC & not AC ( BX) cable. Thamks for another good vid.

[GeddBear]

I'm trying so hard to get into my local IBEW. I have tools and basic building maintenance experience (4 years) and watching these is super helpful, I just want my journeyman to think I'm the best apprentice he's ever had.

[justinandrade]

I have been a Journeyman Electricina in Massachusetts for a couple years now, but I have no shame watching these videos and learning from them! Nobody knows everything and everybody has tips and tricks other people can use. I use mc on a daily basis and this video really let me know some new thing which I can now pass to my apprentices. Awesome. 👍