Which of the following is permitted as a method to identify equipment grounding conductors of sizes 4 AWG and larger?

• A. Stripping the insulation
• B. Painting with blue tape
• C. Wrapping with foil
• D. Marking with a label

Answer: (A)

Identifying equipment grounding conductors that are 4 AWG or larger is done by exposing the conductor so its grounding role is clear. Stripping the insulation works because equipment grounding conductors are allowed to be bare or green-insulated, and removing insulation on a large conductor reveals the bare copper, making it unmistakably a grounding path. This direct reveal avoids relying on color coding alone, which can be damaged or obscured on bigger conductors.

Painting with blue tape or wrapping with foil would obscure or alter the conductor’s identification and could violate how grounding conductors are defined or inspected. Marking with a label isn’t typically used to identify the conductor in the field for this size, and could be unreliable in practice. So stripping the insulation to expose the bare conductor is the appropriate, permitted method.