2 services wheres the bond

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ctmike

Senior Member
A farm house with a 100 amp service gets its water from a well on the property that services the barns and has its own 100 amp service. which service should the water pipe in the house be bonded to.
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
If you have 10 ft of metallic water pipe in contact with the earth at each structure then you should bond the service at each location to it's water system.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
As Augie stated each building would require a GES using all electrodes present. It doesn't really matter if the two structures have water service from the same source. The 10' in contact with the earth is what really matters.

Here's a graphic from Mike:

1113918430_2.jpg
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
If continuous between buildings, that water pipe will be in parallel with the neutrals. Unavoidable, but it will probably carry some current.
 

Greg1707

Senior Member
Location
Alexandria, VA
Occupation
Business owner Electrical contractor
As Augie stated each building would require a GES using all electrodes present. It doesn't really matter if the two structures have water service from the same source. The 10' in contact with the earth is what really matters.

Here's a graphic from Mike:

http://www.mikeholt.com/onlinetraining/page_images
/1113918430_2.jpg

This is a great illustration. Notice how the second ground rod is jumped from the first. How do I do I convince my inspectors that doing this is code compliant? They want a continuous GEC from panel to first rod and on to the second rod.
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
This is a great illustration. Notice how the second ground rod is jumped from the first. How do I do I convince my inspectors that doing this is code compliant? They want a continuous GEC from panel to first rod and on to the second rod.

Show them the picture and tell them Rob said it was permissible :)
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
Show them the picture and tell them Rob said it was permissible :)


I say tell them Mike said it's OK. ;)

Those particular inspectors don't know the difference between a GEC and a bonding jumper. If they did there would be no confusion.
 

A/A Fuel GTX

Senior Member
Location
WI & AZ
Occupation
Electrician
If continuous between buildings, that water pipe will be in parallel with the neutrals. Unavoidable, but it will probably carry some current.

For sure. I changed out a panel on Friday. The meter was pulled, I was dismanteling the old panel and such and when it came time to disconnect the water pipe bond, it was arcing. Put the Amprobe on the GEC and reconnected. 3.5 amps coming in from someone else in the neighborhoods' open/loose neutral.
 

ctmike

Senior Member
thanks for the replies gentlemen. so would the best thing to be to isolate the water services from each other by installing a non metalliac pipe between the buildings
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
You could, but it's probably not necessary. The arrangement is not much different than 1,000 homes being connected to a public utility water supply as was commonplace prior to PVC piping.
 
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