If a conductor is covered, it is considered to be encased with an outer covering not recognized as electrical insulation by the code.

• A. Encased with an insulation recognized by the code
• B. Encased with an outer covering not recognized as electrical insulation by the code
• C. Effectively isolated from ground faults
• D. Covered with a material of a composition and thickness recognized by UL

Answer: (B)

In the code, insulation and outer coverings are treated as different things. An insulating material is what provides the actual electrical resistance and is recognized by the code as the conductor’s insulation. An outer covering or jacket, even if it protects the conductor, is not automatically considered insulation unless the code specifically recognizes it as such. So when a conductor is described as being covered, the code describes the assembly as encased with an outer covering that is not recognized as electrical insulation by the code. That directly matches the statement in the answer choice. This distinction matters because the status of the outer layer affects how the insulation is rated and how the installation is evaluated. The other ideas either imply the outer layer itself is recognized insulation or bring in unrelated concepts like ground fault isolation or UL recognition, which are not the definitions the code uses for a covered conductor.