All green thhn wire for pv wire for residential conduit installation

[BlueMarblePA]

Someone is selling green 10awg thhn 500ft rolls for a good price. If I need black and red x2, and thus different colors and then ground 8awg, can I buy these green 10awg for residential pv wire inside 3/4 inch emt? I would put correct color red and black at the junctions (soladeck on roof and junctions elsewhere including DC input solaredge inverter).

Would this pass inspection?

 

[hayhayday]

Green is only for ground, cant reidentify.

250.119 Identification of Equipment Grounding Conductors.
Unless required elsewhere in this Code, equipment grounding conductors shall be permitted to be bare, covered, or insulated. Individually covered or insulated equipment grounding conductors shall have a continuous outer finish that is either green or green with one or more yellow stripes except as permitted in this section. Conductors with insulation or individual covering that is green, green with one or more yellow stripes, or otherwise identified as permitted by this section shall not be used for ungrounded or grounded circuit conductors.

 

[PreppenWolf]

It would not pass inspection if the inspector sees the green and is a decent inspector.

As a person who works on heavy industrial equipment, I can tell you I never trust what the color of a wire is. Ever. I test everything and verify everything myself because of situations like this.

I don't begrudge people saving money. The code is overbearing on points like this IMO. There is safety, then there is nanny state. This falls into nanny state for me.

 

[BlueMarblePA]

Thank you. Now I understand why price is so good.

I guess the other question then is if I can get a good price on black only, can I pass inspection with appropriate tape on the black ends? For example, red tape on the black?

 

[Quattrohead]

Yes you can mark with red for the other phase and you can mark a white wire with black to show it is part of a 240v.
These are commonly accepted practice.
Beyond that you are risking a disappointing conversation with your AHJ.

 

[BlueMarblePA]

Yes you can mark with red for the other phase and you can mark a white wire with black to show it is part of a 240v.
These are commonly accepted practice.
Beyond that you are risking a disappointing conversation with your AHJ.

I am trying to think through and plan every aspect of this installation before the spring! I hope my ahj accepts my permit application as a diy home owner!

 

[houseofancients]

Yes you can mark with red for the other phase and you can mark a white wire with black to show it is part of a 240v.
These are commonly accepted practice.
Beyond that you are risking a disappointing conversation with your AHJ.

or you use red and black electrical tape in the "exposed" places .
a deep digging inspector might not be amused, but i see loads of people using straight up black wire, with red tape at the ends and still passing inspection,

 

[PreppenWolf]

I used all black and taped it red/white/Green for L2, N and G runs. Because I got a deal on a 6AWG 500ft spool.

I taped mine every 6ft and at entrance/exit of every junction or transition. So the next guy (probably me) doesn't need to drop 1000 F bombs tracing wires later ?

 

[BlueMarblePA]

I used all black and taped it red/white/Green for L2, N and G runs. Because I got a deal on a 6AWG 500ft spool.

I taped mine every 6ft and at entrance/exit of every junction or transition. So the next guy (probably me) doesn't need to drop 1000 F bombs tracing wires later ?

If you had one spool of 6awg, did you pull multiple times through the same conduit? How many times and what kind of conduit?

Since I am planning 10awg black x 2, red x 2 and then 8awg green ground with 100ft run maximum, I was thinking I could get away with one 500ft spool of black thhn, but I didn't know if I would have to pull wire four times through the conduit!

 

[Mattb4]

Measure and cut the wire and only make one pull of all at once.

 

[Quattrohead]

There is a cheap way and there is a right way of doing this, what is your time worth?

 

[Quattrohead]

see loads of people using straight up black wire, with red tape at the ends and still passing inspection,

Yes because this is explicitly allowed according to NEC regulations.

 

[PreppenWolf]

I pulled them all at once. I'm using 4" PVC external (buried) and 3/4 flex internally.

What I did was I pulled a 1/4" nylon rope through from end to end for measurement, placing a piece of electrical tape at the final length. Then removed the rope from the run and add 4ft (2ft per side) to be safe. Then I used this rope and marker to unspool 5 lengths (2 hot, 2 neutral and 1 ground). Taped them together with mule tape and the ends staggered 6" to allow better flex around corners.

One person pulls the mule tape LIGHTLY while the other pushes the lines into the conduit. You should use lube. Don't skip this step. It makes everything easier and ensures you don't melt the PVC through friction. Do not rush the process the faster you push it the more likely you are to damage something or get hung up . The harder you pull it the more likely you are to friction melt the wire or conduit.

To get the rope through the conduit use kite string with a plastic grocery bag tied to it. Shove in one side of conduit. Got to other side and vacuum the string through. Use the string to pull the rope/make tape

 

[BlueMarblePA]

I pulled them all at once. I'm using 4" PVC external (buried) and 3/4 flex internally.

What I did was I pulled a 1/4" nylon rope through from end to end for measurement, placing a piece of electrical tape at the final length. Then removed the rope from the run and add 4ft (2ft per side) to be safe. Then I used this rope and marker to unspool 5 lengths (2 hot, 2 neutral and 1 ground). Taped them together with mule tape and the ends staggered 6" to allow better flex around corners.

One person pulls the mule tape LIGHTLY while the other pushes the lines into the conduit. You should use lube. Don't skip this step. It makes everything easier and ensures you don't melt the PVC through friction. Do not rush the process the faster you push it the more likely you are to damage something or get hung up . The harder you pull it the more likely you are to friction melt the wire or conduit.

To get the rope through the conduit use kite string with a plastic grocery bag tied to it. Shove in one side of conduit. Got to other side and vacuum the string through. Use the string to pull the rope/make tape

This is helpful. Lots of good details here!

 

[Balrog006]

It should also be mentioned that per code only 4AWG size conductors and above are regularly allowed to be recoded different colors for use as L2, neural or grounds as 4 is the size where they start making all the wire black and don’t commonly supply the proper colors. Wire below that size is generally available in the correct code identified color and is expected to be used without having to recode the wire colors.

This will depend heavily on how your local Inspector views this particular part of the code.