Quick Hits

PART I — GENERAL

EPISODE 1 — Why Article 270 Exists & What It Requires (270.1, 270.4)

Slide 1 — Hook "Brand new article for 2026! If you've never heard of Article 270, that's because it didn't exist before this code cycle. Here's why." Text overlay: ARTICLE 270 — GROUNDING & BONDING OVER 1000V ⚡ Part 1 of 20

Slide 2 — 270.1 Scope + the 2026 reorg

• Article 270 covers grounding/bonding for systems over 1000V AC or 1500V DC — basically everything above the "normal" voltage range Articles 200-215 cover.

• It was carved out of the old Article 250 Part X (2023 code), as part of a bigger reshuffle: medium/high-voltage branch circuits, feeders, outside circuits, and services also got split into their own new articles (265, 266, 267, 268).

• Covers: what has to be grounded, which conductor gets grounded, where connections go, conductor/electrode sizing, grounding/bonding methods, and when isolation/insulation can substitute for grounding.

Slide 3 — 270.4 What grounding & bonding actually have to DO

• Grounded systems: connect to earth to limit voltage from lightning/surges/accidental contact with higher voltage, and stabilize voltage during normal operation.

• All systems (grounded or not): non-current-carrying metal parts have to be grounded/bonded so they can't become energized hazards, and there has to be a low-impedance path for fault current to trip the OCPD fast.

• Critical concept to remember: the earth itself is NEVER considered an effective ground-fault current path — you need an actual low-impedance conductor path.

Slide 4 — Quiz + CTA Q: "Per 270.4, can the earth itself be relied on as the ground-fault current path back to the source?" A) Yes, always B) No — a low-impedance conductor path is required C) Only for systems under 5000V D) Only in solidly grounded systems

✅ Answer: B — the earth is explicitly excluded as an effective ground-fault current path.

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