Standard splice plates can often provide a safe electrical path if they are UL Classified and bolted tight. However, you must use copper bonding jumpers if the tray is painted or has expansion joints for movement. A. The requirements for the EGCs are covered in several Sections of the NEC. Circuit Impedance and Other Characteristics. States that the components and characteristics of a circuit must be properly selected and coordinated so that a fault (short circuit) will be cleared without. Cable tray may be used as the Equipment Grounding Conductor (EGC) in any installation where qualified persons will service the installed cable tray system. The metal in cable trays may be used as the EGC as per the limitations. These systems provide an efficient and adaptable solution for managing a wide range of cables, including power cables, control cables, Ethernet, and fiber optic lines. The following pages address the 2014 National Electrical Code® requirements for cable tray systems as well as design.
[PDF Version]