Home Improvement → Re: Bare ground need conduit ??

I'm not sure I follow what you are doing here, but - Yes and No. Collinsville follows the NEC.
Anywhere the ground wire is subject to damage, it must be protected. Typically, this is a "no" for an indoor run.
On the outside of the house, C-Ville does require the ground wire to be in conduit (not ENT!) running down to the rod.
If you have any questions, call Bob the city inspector.

Just curious: Would Sch 40 PVC be acceptable, or would metal be required?

Rigid PVC is OK by code.

He don't have a clue. I seen in a commercial building that he inspected where the GC installed romex for the wiring with his own guys. Needless to say the GC's house that he was building for himself "mysteriously" burned to the ground one night at 3AM (the electricians in town were pissed about the wiring job his guys did at the office building). His brother had a ring side seat from across the lake at his house. It burned so hot and so fast that the steel beam in the basement didn't survive. It took the FD 4 tries till they found a hydrant that worked, not to mention that 2 of the trucks broke down on the way. The manufacturer of the heating equipment asked the HVAC guy if he could take some pictures of the furnace so they study it, there was nothing left. This town makes the Three Stooges look like the McCarthy Bros. (a St.Louis based worl wide construction co.).

I built an add-on to my garage a few years ago, and when I asked at what stage I needed inspections they said there weren't any. Just about anything goes here, they just want the permit $$$. At the time I built my garage, I didn't know that the neutrals and grounds were separated in a sub-panel .... neither did he. After seeing that you do on this forum, I separated them. I just want to make things right. I've seen bare ground wires left open all the time in the inside. But that doesn't make it right or wrong. It's definitely going to have conduit outside.