Atkore Electrical Cables Product Catalog - Catalog - Page 6
AC Introduction and Application
The uses permitted for AC Cables are governed
by NEC® Article 320 and any applicable local
codes. Please refer to NEC® Article 320 and your
local authority having jurisdiction for additional
information. The following is pulled from NFPA 70
NEC® 2023 Edition.
320.10 Uses Permitted
Type AC cable shall be permitted as follows:
(1) For feeders and branch circuits in both
exposed and concealed installations
(2) In cable trays
(3) In dry locations
(4) Embedded in plaster 昀椀nish on brick or other
masonry, except in damp or wet locations
(5) To be run or 昀椀shed in the air voids of masonry
block or tile walls where such walls are not
exposed or subject to excessive moisture
or dampness
Informational Note: The “Uses Permitted” is not an all-inclusive list.
320.12 Uses Not Permitted
Type AC cable shall not be used as follows:
(1) Where subject to physical damage
(2) In damp or wet locations
(3) In air voids of masonry block or tile walls
where such walls are exposed or subject
to excessive moisture or dampness
(4) Where exposed to corrosive conditions
(5) Embedded in plaster 昀椀nish on brick or
other masonry in damp or wet locations
Type AC cables from Atkore, were the 昀椀rst cable
assemblies manufactured when the company was
founded in 1926. These cable products were used
for residential wiring from the late 19th century
until the second World War. Much later, Type AC
cable became a commercial wiring method and
is the foundation of all interlocked armored cable
assemblies we have today.
We manufacture two varieties of armored (Type
AC) cables, standard AC cable and HCF, Health Care
Facilities Cable, both featuring the ColorSpec®/
Color-Trak ID System. This unique color code
process shows the number of phase conductors
within the cable and differentiates between 120/208
and 277/480 conductor colors
on the exterior of the armor.
AC Cable:
These versatile 600V cables with THHN conductors
have some construction limitations due to the
inception and design of UL Standard 4 over 100
years ago. The UL Standard allows for 2, 3, or 4
conductors, from 14AWG to 1AWG, individually
paper-wrapped and twisted under an interlocked
metal armor of galvanized steel or aluminum.
A 16 AWG aluminum bonding wire is also inside
of, and in physical contact with, the metal armor
providing a low-impedance fault-return path
required for the operation of overcurrent protection
devices. The 16 AWG bonding wire is unique to
Type AC cable and allows the outer metal armor
in conjunction with the bonding wire to be used as
the equipment ground. It is important to note that
the bare bond wire is not an equipment grounding
conductor. It is the bond wire that, in combination
with the interlocked metal armor, provides a low
impedance equipment grounding path.
Atkore color codes its standard AC-90® cable in
Black for easy identi昀椀cation.
Scan here for more
information about
the proper use and
application
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