The present invention relates to electrical grounding and bonding, and more particularly to a ground fitting for easily grounding or bonding a ground wire carried in spiral metal sheathing (e.g., an armored cable) at a midpoint along the length of the sheathed cable.
Ground wires frequently require protection from damage. The ground wire is generally a heavy gauge wire, for example eight gauge, six gauge, or four gauge, and may be stranded or solid, and is generally uninsulated. A common method for protecting a ground wire is to carry the ground wire in a spiral metal sheathing (e.g., armored cable), thereby creating an armored ground wire. Such spiral metal sheathing provides the desired protection to the ground wire.
It is often necessary to connect the ground wire to a ground member (or ground point) such as a water pipe or ground rod, positioned at a point along the length of the armored cable (i.e., not at an end). Unfortunately, the spiral metal sheathing may frustrate or complicate attempts to electrically connect to the ground wire. To accomplish this connection, the protective metal sheathing must be cut to expose the ground wire. The sheathing on one side of the cut must be removed and the ground wire threaded through a ground fitting attached to the ground member. Then, the sheathing must be replaced over the ground wire. This can be a difficult task, especially if a long length of sheathing has been removed.
Further, known fittings for grounding and bonding armored ground wires do not sufficiently grasp ends of the metal sheathing to meet code requirements.
Therefore, a need remains for a ground fitting (or clamp) and method of use which simplifies connecting a ground wire carried in a metal sheathing, to a ground point along a length of sheathed ground wire. The ground fitting must further secure the ends of the metal sheathing sufficiently to meet code requirements.