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

How about this hole. It's not a weep hole.
[img]http://www.nachi.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7481&d=1165167407[/img]

Agreed.....it should not be used for the GEC...but as we know it was used in this case...a freakin mounting hole no less...

Makes you wonder..WAS the approved KO hole on the bottom and why they just did not use the correct one...

Man I just realized this was back from 2002....quite some time ago this topic took place....

I'm just curious about something here... If we're all talking about just a standard NEMA 3R panel outside... we're not talking about a gasketed, and sealed enclosure. It has a deadfront that allows airflow, just as much as the flop-down outside cover would. I don't see how any condensation that might accumulate wouldn't just drip out the front of the panel, just as easy as it would a "weephole". I've used the tiny knockout in the bottom of most every panelchange I've performed, in many different jurisdictions in California (and one in NY), I've never been shot down or even had this brought up as a weep hole.
On a semi-flush installation, I'd think it would be beneficial for any mishappened moisture to make it's way out the front, rather than ending up inside a wall where all kinds of fun stuff can happen.. (toxic mold caused by an EC would be a lawyers heyday! )

Wow, this an old thread..... Some names I haven't seen in some time....

Anyway, IMO.... the only time this "HOLE" could be used is if, and only IF the ground conductor is bonded to the neutral for 250.94

Otherwise, I have no idea, the only other time I have ever used one was to put a 1/4-20 in it for a lug. Used to have a boss who would like to feel under there for a nut. No pun intended.... So he would know I used a lug, instead of those crappy bonding do-dads the panel came with.

But even though the hole fits a conductor great, as some of might know, it would have a inductive 'choke effect' on any current during a fault on the conductor. And although allowed by code, it is a bad practice in some peoples minds.

I'm with Phil on this one, NMC for the GEC. Although It's been interesting reading through this thread seeing how other Electricians handle this. Would be nice to see some concrete proof on that Kenny clamp being code compliant.

Luke

I have been having a life and haven't spent any time on this board in a few. Wow! you folks sure can sure whip up a lather over nothing.
I am quite suprised that no one has mentioned pole mounted services. REA specifications call for that hole to be used to exit the ground wire for clamping to the poco ground wire (# 6) extending to the copper plate on the pole bottom. This is done with a split bolt or sometimes with a compression fitting. This way, your ground wire only has to be 18 inches long. Of course, here in the Ozarks, routinely 200 Amp SE's are tied in with #6. Since the Coop lineman is the closest thing to an inspector that most rural installations ever see, that's what you get. I just completed a surge arrestor installation on a chicken farm last week and want to return with my camera, many of you will be shocked and appalled at the shoddy workmanship and disregard for the code. (example: a sub feeder to one of the 5 houses consisted of 2- 2-0 Al & the neutral was a # 10 TW...)This job was just across the Okla. line...

An aside: In southern Indiana the poco required the ground wire to be connected to the GR terminal inside the main breaker with no connection allowed inside the meter base. Their rationale was that ONCE a kid had been playing with a bare ground wire, pulled it out, and then stuck it back up into the little hole... the poco got sued...of course. Now everybody else has to adapt. I was taught to encase my ground with a piece of 1/2' emt and found out by accident that if the run is at all complex, insert the # 4 solid before bending the pipe...sparky's late night, unmarked truck outen state 'lectric

[This message has been edited by Almost Fried (edited 12-04-2006).]