Equipment grounding conductors shall be permitted to be installed outside a raceway or cable assembly.

Equipment grounding conductors shall be permitted to be installed outside a raceway or cable assembly.

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only if listed
• D. Only for nonmetallic raceways

Answer: (A)

The main point here is that equipment grounding conductors are allowed to run outside a raceway or cable assembly. Their job is to provide a low-impedance path back to the source if a fault occurs, not to carry working current, so the NEC permits routing the grounding conductor separately when it’s practical. The crucial requirements are that the grounding conductor remains continuous, is sized appropriately for the circuit, and is protected from physical damage and properly terminated at the equipment grounding terminals. This flexibility doesn’t depend on the raceway being metal or nonmetallic, nor on special listings; it’s a general allowance to ensure a reliable grounding path while still meeting protection and termination rules.

The main point here is that equipment grounding conductors are allowed to run outside a raceway or cable assembly. Their job is to provide a low-impedance path back to the source if a fault occurs, not to carry working current, so the NEC permits routing the grounding conductor separately when it’s practical. The crucial requirements are that the grounding conductor remains continuous, is sized appropriately for the circuit, and is protected from physical damage and properly terminated at the equipment grounding terminals. This flexibility doesn’t depend on the raceway being metal or nonmetallic, nor on special listings; it’s a general allowance to ensure a reliable grounding path while still meeting protection and termination rules.