ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues WELLS FOR COLD WATER BOND

WHAT ATTERNATIVE METHOD FOR COLD WATER BONDING WHEN THE WATER SUPPLY IS PLASTIC FROM A GROUND WELL, NOT CITY WATER?

First Dave can you kill the CAPS?

What do you mean by cold water bonding?

Do you mean bonding the water pipes as required by 250.104 Bonding of Piping Systems and Exposed Structural Steel.

Or are you asking about grounding electrodes?

In either case if the piping is all plastic it is not required to be bonded or used as a grounding electrode.

250.50 & 250.52 list the approved grounding electrodes and a key phrase in 250.50 is If available on the premises.

No metal water pipe on the premise is no problem drive a ground rod (or two to comply with 250.56) and you are all set.

Is the well located on the premises, and does it have a metal casing?
This is one I've wondered about as well.
Dave's in a highly urbanized environment, as I am.
We don't run across many wells, but when I do, I'd like to not be in the dark.

Can anybody explain?

First things first

If Bonding is all that's being done to the cold water piping, then bond it at a convenient and accessible location, using the correct size conductor.
Refer to Article 250-104 for further information regarding this type of bonding.
(conductor size: General; 250-66, multiple occupancies / isolated from other occupants; 250-122).

As to the water well scenario:
If the Well Tubing is Metallic, and the Well is in close proximity to the Building, then by all means, include this to your GES!!!
This will be a Kick-A$$ Deep-Earth Electrode!

It's doubtful that the Well's tubing may ever be changed out for something non-metallic, without the owner's knowledge, so this could kill the idea of supplimenting it with another electrode.

Now on the other hand, the Well might be quite a distance from the service equipment - which could warrant an additional / supplimental electrode, close to the service.

If this was up to me, would do this:

<OL TYPE=A>

[*] Use an Encased Electrode, which is encased in the foundation of the building where the service equipment is at - AKA "UFER",


[*] Bond it together with the Water Well, to form a single GES.
</OL>

The Ufer Electrode in list "A" can be either the REBAR or an encased conductor.
These will need to be no less than 20' encased, and at least 24" below finished grade.
Refer to NEC Article 250 for additional information.

You could probably get away with using only the Well for the GES, but this would need to be verified by the AHJ.

Scott35

BTW: if anyone is not familiar to the terms / words used in this (and other) messages - like for instance "GES", please refer to the ECN Glossary for reference to these terms.
This can be found at the Technical Reference Area by using the above hyperlink, or at the URL below:
https://www.electrical-contractor.net/ubb/Forum15/HTML/000089.html

Scott

we have a well at our house.

its a 1 1/2" well in 4" plastic. all plastic pipe.

there is a ground wire connected to the hot water heater frame.