ECN Electrical Forum
Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals

John,


Above ceiling and wires on grid? OMG! that is a whole other subject. How many times have we gone into a building and found open boxes, open splices and old temp lighting above grid ceilings. Never mind the wires laying on the ceiling, there where all these open boxes, splices and wiring that was live and not protected.

As an AHJ, I demand an Above ceiling inspection, and I try to make sure that all of the old temp wiring is removed and all the boxes are closed up.

you drive a rod at a light pole and you dont connect it to the building grounds

800.100 is an interesting read for these questions.
Rewire, that rod on the pole is bonded to the service vis the grounded conductor.

Rewire:

A rod driven at a site light pole is bonded to the system via the EGC that is with the circuit conductors. Field procedure is Cadweld # 6 (or 4) to rod, tail up into pole base by feeders, bond to pole w/lug, tail pc. to splice to EGC. Design purpose of the rod at pole is lightning protection.

I watched FPL replace a pole the other day and they didn't even use a rod. The #4 solid just runs to the bottom of the pole and gets a little coil on the bottom end of the pole. These are deep enough to be in the ground water so I imagine it is a decent electrode.

most of the light poles I have seen their is no piutail to the egc

Time to clear the air....
The light poles that I reference herein are site lighting metal poles, installed by an EC, on private property. The 'rod' is a 'spec' item by the EE/PE/Arch.

I am not refering to utility poles (wood) installed and maintained by a utility here.

I have seen blocks from both Arlington and Erico for this purpose. I assume both are UL listed.

JimM:
IMHO, both brands you mention have UL listed bonding blocks; as to a specific model, can't tell ya.

John,


OK there are UL listed and labeled Intersystem Grounding Blocks (IGB) but what if someone just used a left over ground terminal from a service panel. The "ground bar" is made out of copper. Would that pass an inspection?