A: CAB Cable Rings and Saddles fall under the definition of “fitting” in Article 100 of the NEC. A fitting is an accessory such as a locknut, bushing or other part of a wiring system that is intended primarily to perform a mechanical rather than an electrical function.
In his White Paper, Bill Brooks expands on this subject: “Some AHJs may request that exposed metal rings and saddles be evaluated for bonding, but this is not well substantiated in the NEC, nor is there a UL standard for evaluating such equipment. … The NEC simply states in Article 334.30 that, Nonmetallic-sheathed cable shall be supported and secured by staples, cable ties, straps, hangers, or similar fittings designed and installed so as not to damage the cable. … Clearly, damage to the cable is the issue. Given this line of reasoning, a cable hanger or similar fitting such as CAB Cable Rings and Saddles could be installed without a listing for bonding and grounding.
“Ultimately, the AHJ must approve any equipment used in a PV installation under their purview. If an AHJ will not accept cable rings and saddles as being designed to prevent damage to the cable, a simple way to resolve the need for bonding this product is to coat the product with a durable non-conductive coating so that the metal of the rings and saddles never comes in contact with the cable. An example of CAB Cable Rings and Saddles with this type of coating is shown in Figure 4.” (Figure 4 pictures CAB 100% PVC Coated Cable Rings and Saddles.) – Bill Brooks, P.E., White Paper: Cable Management in Solar PV Arrays, Pages 7-8, Jan. 16, 2014