I just moved to an town that requires all wiring to be in EMT conduit. Never having done home wiring using conduits I have a couple of questions.

1. Most of the existing circuits do not seem to be grounded. Does the metal conduit and the metal boxes act as the ground return? It is a solid connection all the way back to the breaker box.

2. The one noteable exception to the above is the stove circuit, which includes the two hots on a 30 amp breaker for 220 and two bare braided wires (and I mean bare). Is the bare wire going through conduit safe?

3. Probaby unrelated but my air conditioner only has two wires going to it, both the hots from a 30 amp breaker. I always thought there were three wires for 220. Or is this just part of my other question and the conduit is taking the load?

Thanks in Advance

 

Single-phase 240 volts, such as in almost all homes, only requires 2 wires. You may be thinking of three-phase power, used in industrial settings, when you remember 3 wires required.

Certain 240-volt applances use 3 wires, but only because the appliance also uses 120 volts for some features.