ECN Forum
Posted By: falcondfb Grounding w/o a water pipe - 09/28/02 05:44 PM
the service is as such:
residential 200A overhead, seu drop to meter pan, pvc nip to nema 3r breaker enc, 4 cond seu to main lug panel in house.
there is a well with plastic piping into house, and since this is my first install where city water piping doesn't exist i'm not sure how to ground the system. I drove 2 g/r w/ the usual #6 but i'm don't think that is enough. Please shed some insite
Posted By: George Corron Re: Grounding w/o a water pipe - 09/28/02 06:01 PM
You're done!! You must bond the water pipe to the service. If you like, you can catch the water pipe on the way to the ground rods, or run a separate conductor out of the service to catch it.

Suggest - bond around fiberglass collar on ductwork at unit.
Posted By: Electra Re: Grounding w/o a water pipe - 09/28/02 07:37 PM
Here in Oregon, if this was new construction, a ufer ground would also be required.
Posted By: arseegee Re: Grounding w/o a water pipe - 09/28/02 07:50 PM
Might want to check your GEC w/ 250.66. Think you'll need a #4 copper for the 200A service.

[This message has been edited by arseegee (edited 09-28-2002).]
Posted By: resqcapt19 Re: Grounding w/o a water pipe - 09/28/02 07:59 PM
arseegee,
As long as the GEC is only going to a rod, #6 is the largest that the code requires. See 250.66(A).
Don
Posted By: arseegee Re: Grounding w/o a water pipe - 09/28/02 09:29 PM
Don, has this changed for 2002, I was taught that if a driven rod is your only GE then you size the GEC from the table. I thought you only used #6 if the rod was a supplemental electrode... guess I'm confused.
Posted By: resqcapt19 Re: Grounding w/o a water pipe - 09/28/02 10:09 PM
arseegee,
No change in the code rule, however in the '96 and earlier codes this rule was Exception #1(a) to 250-94. The rod really isn't a very good electrode and it will never carry very much current into the earth. A #6 is more than enough copper to carry the current that the rod can put into the earth and that is why the rule exists. There is no electrical advantage to installing a larger GEC to the rod.
Don

[This message has been edited by resqcapt19 (edited 09-28-2002).]
Posted By: falcondfb Re: Grounding w/o a water pipe - 09/29/02 04:14 PM
thanks for the replys, i had all the same thoughts but wasn't sure which way to go. i wish i had gotten a rod under the basement floor
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