ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Grounding Electrode Conductor Connector?

Heck—no one's opened a can of worms at E-C.net for at least an hour, so here goes...

1) Ever notice that a significant number of manufacturer-furnished weep holes in 3R enclosures are partially or completely plugged by paint?

2) Weep holes have their place in conditions of falling water. Where it’s “hose-directed,” this may often be a misapplication, but that gets into NEMA 4/4X territory.

3} Square D makes an extra-decent {XOP} disconnect switch with a NEMA 12/3 enclosure rating. [This excludes any of that idiotic, dim-witted “12K” crap. That idea’s right up there with ashtrys on motorcycles.] Anyways, their instructions for use as type 3 are/were to drill a couple of (specific-sized) holes in the enclosure bottom plate.

This subject is growing, and unless I can see, or read some specific words that are truly part of a recognized standard, or code, I will stand behind my comments made here. I thought 110.2 would be that rule.

As I said earlier, I know that the 1/4" hole, or whatever size it is, has been used for many years for the GEC without being bonded to the enclosure, or cabinet.

If that hole is OK for the GEC, then why is there no fitting available that will be capable of being bonded to the enclosure?

The image below shows pieces of a GEC at a service after being hit by lightning. A student brought it to a class for show and tell.

I do have another image that may be helpful but cannot locate it at the moment.



[This message has been edited by Joe Tedesco (edited 09-19-2002).]

Joe,
Can you cite any documents that say the 1/4" KOs are the weep holes? Can you cite a rule that says the GEC must use a connector when it enters an enclosure?
Don

Joe,
circumstances man!!! Nothing takes a direct strike. No doubt that's some righteous damage.

Joe - Even when using a 1/2" K.O. what type of connector are we supposed to use to bond the bare wire to the enclosure? You have shown several types of connectors that are suitable for bonding the armor of armored ground cable but the bare wire is still not bonded until it connects to the neutral buss inside the panel. If the grounding electrode conductor is installed in a raceway it does not get bonded to the enclosure. It may get connected to a grounding bushing on the raceway but this bonds it to the raceway not the enclosure. Is it your opinion that the GEC cold not be installed in PVC since there is no way to bond the wire as it enters the enclosure? I'm not trying to argue with you but if saying the reason that you don't feel that the 1/4" K.O.s' should be used because of bonding then I would like to know how to make a proper installation.

Curt

Seems to me that the words " open wiring " in 312.5(B) and 314.17(B) requires single conductor to be firmly secured to the enclosure.

312.5(B)'s verbage has me picturing those old K&T meters , i am not sure of the definitional interpertation of 'conductor' vs. 'cable' in this article...

314.17(D) here is interesting as i stock #4 cu for all 100 & 200A services....

(D) Conductors 4 AWG or Larger. Installation shall comply with 300.4(F).

which brought me to 300.4(F) here;

despite raceway,cable or conductor is the intent of both is 'ungrounded'....?

The Siemens catalog identifies these as "0.25" K.O." and shows them in the diagram for indoor enclosures(diagram Q7) located in the top and bottom of the enclosure. Why would there be a "weep hole" in an indoor enclosure or a weep hole in the top of any enclosure? In diagram Q2 it refers to these holes as K.O.'s for 0.25" conduit. Since when is there 1/4" conduit? Diagram Q7 also shows 12 K.O.'s for 0.38" conduit. These are all UL listed enclosures.

Whoa! I really started somethin'!

Yikes!



*runs and hides under bed*

Boy, I thought my puter was gonna catch fire there for a minute!



GWZ,

Splitting hairs with "conductor" vs. "conductors" would be the only loophole out of that one... I think the intent of the NEC would/should be clear, however.

Personally, I wish I could be partially responsible for practically one big black vertical line on the entire '05 code. Just too much subjectivity with the current verbage.