ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues service bonding

I've installed a 10ft section of ridged conduit for the riser at the street pole for protection of 200amp 4/0 URD AL service conductors for an underground service. This isolated section is required to be bonded according to 250.92

To bond in this situation I would need to:

1)Install a bonding bushing on the RMC and run a #4 bond wire to a 8ft ground rod at the base of the pole...

2) Install a bonding bushing on the RMC and leave the #4 bond wire long enough for the Utility Company to run it up the pole to connect to the grounded service conductor...

3) Run a #4 bonding wire with the underground lateral and connect to the bonding bushing on the pole end and connect in the meter at the house end to the grounded service conductor...

How do you bond in this case?

shortcircuit

Cool question.

First is this section of raceway covered by the NEC? I doubt it.

I do agree common sense says it needs to be bonded.


Pointless ineffective waste of time.


That could work if the POCO is agreeable.


That would also work but IMO a waste of materials and adding unnecessary length and impedance to the bonding conductor.

Here is my suggestion, install bonding bushing and install a short bonding jumper from the bonding to the grounded conductor as it emerges from the GRC.

Simply use a connector that you can easily tap the grounded conductor with. H-Tap would be nice.


Bob

The answer should be #2. Check with the power co.

I did some reading of NSTAR's year 2001 "requirements for electric service" searching for a bonding requirement for RMC as a riser conduit up the company's (Nstar) pole.

In the manual,(for sparky's in Massachusetts) on page 113, note #3 to sketch 6 says: "RMC requires a grounding connector for connection of #4 CU wire." when used as riser pipe on a Nstar pole.

Now, I am well aware that the ground rod, as I described in my first post, is useless for bonding this RMC from reading posts here for some time now, but thought I would list it as a choice. But I have seen many a stick of RMC grounded in this manner...which seems to serve no purpose at all.

Also,driving around today, I saw many RMC riser pipes with the bonding bushing, but no #4 bond wire installed at all. Apparently installed by the electrician, but not bonded by the utility company.

Note that any part of the installation on public property including the RMC riser, becomes property of Nstar once energized.

Iwire, I like your suggestion for bonding this isolated section of RMC and will try to use it. I will run it by Nstar engineers first.

Electricmanscott, the exception to 250.102(E) directly addresses this installation of RMC as a riser and answer #2 of my original post as a bonding method. I will also run this by Nstar.

Thanks for your input on this.

shortcircuit

I always seem to work in towns with municipal light departments where almost anything goes. Usually more rural installations where sched 80 pvc is used for risers so I have not had to deal with this at all.
But as I said #2 seem to be the correct way to go.

Here in CT the utility requires an RMC sweep capped at the top, no riser. They clearly state in their 'Information & Requirements' book that THEY are responsible for the grounding/bonding of the rigid sweep at the pole end.