Does 12-2 MC cable use 3/8" connectors

[penright]

Looking at the MC cable (Southwire Armorlite 25-ft 12/2 Solid Aluminum MC Cable) it looks 3/8" to me but "they" said 1/2" clamps. Just wanted a sanity check.
So the question, assuming there is some sort of standard or common application, is 12-2 MC Aluminum MC use 3/8" or 1/2" connectors?
I assume if 3/8" connectors are right that would apply to the anti-shorts also, correct?

BTW, did enough research to know Aluminum MC, has to have compression clamps, not screws

All my previous runs except 1 were 3/4" EMT. This run is a little more complicated.

More context, but not relevant to the questions.
I am adding a light to the bottom of the shelves that I am building over the workbench.

Here a shot trying to show where the first light will be, it will feed a second light ...

Here is a little bit better perspective without the shelves or supports ...

I am going to remove the "wing light" and adding two lights fixtures liked I used for the shop lighting. Same as these, below, only mounted to the shelf supports that run from the front to the back. There will be two supports and two lights. Hopfully that will give this old man a chance to see that line when trying to cut.

My thoght is to use a 90 off the side of the box, run it along the edge of the window brace, cross over to the shelf support, then 90 into the side of a octogon box. I am trying to get the cable as much behind the c-channel so someday I can put pegboard on that wall, starting from the windows down to just past the drill press. I plan on adding some vertical channel between the top, middle, and bottom girts. This should carry some of the load on the top girt to the bottom which sits on the floor. I not planning on storing any fully assembled V8's, so I am hoping it will be ok. They will also give the peg board something to attach to.

 

[sberry]

They might be called 3/8, the covering is called 3/8 but they have a 1/2 on the box end. A 1/2 has a bigger sleeve around the wire, mostly used in field install for size bigger wires.

 

[nadogail]

They might be called 3/8, the covering is called 3/8 but they have a 1/2 on the box end. A 1/2 has a bigger sleeve around the wire, mostly used in field install for size bigger wires.

What he said, sometimes sizes are arbitrary. If it fits in a 1/2" knockout it is a 1/2" connector.

 

[sberry]

That first light could be pipe.

 

[penright]

They might be called 3/8, the covering is called 3/8 but they have a 1/2 on the box end. A 1/2 has a bigger sleeve around the wire, mostly used in field install for size bigger wires.

My box can handle either 1/2 or 3/4 knockouts.

I am talking about the clamp end and the anti-shorts. I order 1/2" and it looks wrong. I got 1/2" one hole strap clamps and those I can plainly see they are too big. In hindsight, I am guessing "they" thought I was talking about the knockout. I guess it another trip.


These are what I got ...

These is what I wanted ...

Etiher way they were the wrong size. I wanted the screw in, not the pop in, with my in experience and the ever changing layout, I need something I can screw in/out. I thought it was strange that they did not have any of the clamps. Again, in hindsight 3/8" is what they would use the most. Also, looking back at the links, now in the description I see where it talks about the wire size, which I assume equates the armor size. Live and learn.

So these are the parts that I need for this cable.

Cable to box connector
One hole strap.
Anti-Short

 

[penright]

That first light could be pipe.

If I did use a pipe, would it go something like ...
From the top of the outlet box, offset into the channel, then at the top offset back out, then 90 over to the shelf support center, and enter the box in the center? I can figure out a way to support the EMT to the shelf support without having more offsets.
Just thinking out loud.

My bending skills are better than they were when all this started, so now it may only take 3 sticks to get it right.

 

[Terry D]

Post a picture of the connectors. The part that goes through the hole in the box should be for a 1/2 inch knockout. The part where the cable clamps down should not be 1/2 inch. That would be for 1/2 inch greenfield. If your using a 90 degree, it should be for 3/8 greenfield, it also will fit MC. There are numerous style straight connectors. Best to post a picture. Stay away from the set screw style, they can dig right into the wire.

 

[penright]

Best to post a picture.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sigma-Electric-ProConnex-3-8-in-Squeeze-Connector-Flexible-Metal-Conduit-Compatible-Conduit-Fitting/1090809?cm_mmc=aff-_-c-_-prd-_-mdv-_-gdy-_-all-_-6147012-_-2470763-_-10935405&AID=10935405&PID=6147012&SID=100703468856324842%3AJ_UyxyzvA2af&cjevent=86977a7ad80011ea83c1007b0a1c0e0b

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Yes 3/8” for MC. Knockout size is 1/2”

Dont need anti-shorts for MC

 

[penright]

Yes 3/8” for MC. Knockout size is 1/2”

Thanks.

Dont need anti-shorts for MC

That surprised me. You are one of the people whose comments I trust, so don't take my questions as questioning your statement, just me learning.
I did try and do my research before asking questions, and we all know what we see on the internet is true. Maybe I misunderstood what they were using them in.
Let me ask this, when would you use them?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Anti-shorts are for AC cable.

 

[sberry]

Something else. Up in ceilings where there are couplings and a whip might reach I use a handi box for a coupling. , sometimes feed right thru it to a whip of the cable, sometimes put a loop in it or another wire from a switch. Cap it off. In houses I use 2 wire to switch boxes and 3 conductor to fixtures, can carry a hot thru if needed or hook it to another switch. I use a black a white and a red for example and the red is the switched wire 1st, and black is power in my scheme.

 

[sberry]

I put disconnect switches higher than daily users, super easy with pipe. In your garage it needs a drop cord about 2 or 3 ft in the ceiling with a 9 watt cfl or small led. Your building is a bit different than mine but I love a nightlight hanging so as I rarely use real general lighting. I can walk anywhere, put wood in, go to the pisser, go into my office where 13 watt runs 24/7 next top the coffee, I dont need any other unless I am dedicating to work.

 

[sberry]

I walk enough that I have 2 hanging in the shop, can come and go without any switching. I got 3 outdoor, 10 watt, 25 and a 13, can walk door to door between 5 buildings without running in to something. I motion in a garage and a motion in storage so a guy can park and leave or walk in to a truck no switch, on or off.

 

[Norcal]

Anti-shorts are for AC cable.

They do include the redheads with MC even though they are not required for MC I use them.

 

[Terry D]

They do include the redheads with MC even though they are not required for MC I use them.

I use them also

Sent from my SM-G960U using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[penright]

That first light could be pipe.

After more thought, I think I could have used pipe, but I was thinking about putting pegboard on that wall, so I want as much behind the face of the c-channel as possible. So I just went with MC. That left the middle of the c-channel open and I am going to lay some cat-5 in it behind the pegboard. Not sure if I will ever use it, but it will be simple to do it now, I have the wire and connectors. That black box hanging to the left of the shelf is my network cabinet and the white dot is an Unifi Access Point.

Something else. Up in ceilings where there are couplings and a whip might reach I use a handi box for a coupling. , sometimes feed right thru it to a whip of the cable, ...

Little more context on why I want to pull from that box. When I installed the EMT and wire, I pulled a leg from the lights to that outlet. Actually I also pulled another leg from the outlet that was running my small compressor. I also split one of the plugs. So when the overhead lights were turned on it would power one of the outlets. Then when the compressor was turned on it would power the other. I had a wing from a Grand Prix and I installed a bunch of led strips under it. That pole in the picture was just for mounting, there were no high voltage wires in it. One of the two bricks was for the led's and the other power the stoplight. So when the compress switch was on, the stoplight of the wing would light up. That way when I was walking out of the shop I had a chance to catch if I left the compressor on. When I bought the stationary standup compressor, I pulled all that wiring out, except for the switched light leg. BTW, you were right on a lot of your comments on that compressor install, I need to update that thread. Anyway, that is why I was trying to get from that box to under the shelf.

I put disconnect switches higher than daily users, super easy with pipe. In your garage it needs a drop cord about 2 or 3 ft in the ceiling with a 9 watt cfl or small led. Your building is a bit different than mine but I love a nightlight hanging so as I rarely use real general lighting. I can walk anywhere, put wood in, go to the pisser, go into my office where 13 watt runs 24/7 next top the coffee, I don't need any other unless I am dedicating to work.

I am following you there, all the "whole" shop lighting you need is while you are walking around the shop you don't trip. Task lighting is way more important. That is why I have some simple ceiling lights spaced out in a 3 x 3 grid and why I put two over the workbench. I used off the shelf A19 1500 lumens bulbs in all the light fixtures. That gives me good light overall and great light over the workbench. Once all the lights installed I will have 13 lights using 182 watts total. I also have two light switches, one power on a string of lights leading to the bench and the workbench lights. The second turn on the rest. That may have been overkill since all of them are not using more than 2 100 watts of the old style bulbs.

I walk enough that I have 2 hanging in the shop, can come and go without any switching. I got 3 outdoor, 10 watt, 25 and a 13, can walk door to door between 5 buildings without running in to something. I motion in a garage and a motion in storage so a guy can park and leave or walk in to a truck no switch, on or off.

I had to go a little bit overboard here also. I tied the two shop lightswitches into the home automation. Once I got the low-voltage wires hooked up into the network cabinet inside the house, it was easy to get wifi in the shop. Being the gadget guy, I bought an Alexa, and my wife not being a gadget guy put her in the closet after about a month. She got tired of another woman in the kitchen talking when not spoken to. So I brought her (Alexa) into the shop. It might be cool for her to switch on the lights, but the switches are just by the door. Where she really shines is streaming radio and when I leave the lights stay on for 1 minute for me to walk out and the back porch lights come on for 2 minutes, if after dark, to walk to the house. The streaming is really cool since it was hard to get Oklahoma City stations in the metal building.

 

[penright]

And for more information than you care, here is the final outcome of installing the shelf. I still need to add pegboard now, but that is its own project. Ok, after posting the pictures I should have picked up the bench, don't judge me too harshly.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

the pics didnt load

 

[penright]

the pics didnt load

I think I fixed it. I forgot to copy them to my shared album on my Google Photos, then I realized that and added them to my GJ album. I guess that is a different link. That a gotcha with Google Photos, just because it works with you, doesn't mean it will work with others.