MC Cable vs AC Cable: Are They the Same Thing?

Comments · 88

• JA

  @JamesNicholson-j3w · 2 months ago

  My neighbor's house (1920s era] had a stair well light stop working, having taught Construction  courses at university level, I was asked to check it out. The home had an upgraded circuit  breaker panel, @60 amps. There was AC throughout the house, no grounded outlets or green wires. There was about w0 volts at the fixture. When I checked the circuit breaker,  it was 15 Amp (not tripped). My wrist felt heat, and I discovered that the spiral armor was hot! I shut off the breaker and taped it off, recommending a licensed electrician do the repair. The friction taped splice in the switch box had sorn/decayed, allowing the hot wire to touch the box. The armor was 45 ft long, and acted like a resistor well enough not to trip the breaker!  I think I saved the house!

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• JA

  @jacknikolai5416 · 6 months ago

  All the really old code books you should archive and upload so everyone can see them

  27

• RO

  @RobinAltoft · 6 months ago

  My first time running MC (20 years ago) was with an older electrician in his 70s. He was super anal about the little anti-short bushings. He showed me that the little slots in those clamp type MC connectors are for the flags on the bushing to stick through. He insisted that the inspector at the time would look for them, since you can see them in the box. Since then, i's been a habit of mine to make sure the little flag is poking through, even if it's overkill.

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• BI

  @Bigdaddy2166_ · 1 month ago (edited)

  If you're really old, it's called BX. The B stood for Braided or bonded, and the X for experimental. A lot of old-timers called it Bronx Cable because it was made by the Bronx Cable Company.

  2

• EL

  @ElectroAtletico · 5 months ago

  Biggest difference - ground path.<br>AC (aka BX) uses the metal armor + bonding strip as the equipment grounding path.<br>MC uses a dedicated equipment grounding conductor (the now famous &quot;green wire&quot;).

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• AL

  @alextannahill1089 · 5 months ago

  Code is the floor. Anti-short devices let you raise the quality of the work.

  7

• UN

  @UncleJimsBand · 4 weeks ago

  When I was a kid I was lucky enough to take Cerro&apos;s Bellefonte, Pennsylvania Copper &amp; Brass plant tour. &nbsp;Copper everywhere, copper being drawn, stamped, and rolled into wire, rods, tubing, whatever. &nbsp;There was even an all copper &amp; brass car. &nbsp;Fascinating. &nbsp;Unfortunately, the plant was later shuttered.

• PA

  @paulcorso5442 · 5 months ago

  As a young apprentice back in the “60’s”, I was taught to use a “anti-short” or “redhead” bushing at all terminations. In later years, they came out with connectors that included the red bushing as part of the assembly.

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• PA

  @Pajaro702 · 5 months ago

  Just joined the crew I’m new to this I’m two weeks into trade school and I’ve learned so much from you I hope to keep learning thank you so much you motivate me a bunch to continue to be better

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• OR

  @Orcaroll · 3 months ago (edited)

  As a third year apprentice, thank you! These are great tips and knowledge that will help me be the best electrician I can be. I love these informational videos on the history of the code and the modern era tips of the trade that make the difference between a day at work you hate and a day at work you enjoy.

  1

• RU

  @russellrobins5320 · 6 months ago

  I’m surprised the BX name never addressed or its steel spiral versus aluminum, no grounding versus grounding conductors. &nbsp; Great videos

  9

• SR

  @SRCardow1 · 4 months ago (edited)

  Excellent explaination of MC and AC cables, thanks for taking the time to share it Dustin.