Exterior ground bar

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mudcat555

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Location
Mentor, Ohio (25 miles east of Cleveland)
Occupation
Retired Electrician IBEW Local 38
Recently, the local inspector failed my installation, (new meter housing,mast, ground rod, etc.) because I didn't install an exterior ground bar. He said it was for other utilities to tie onto for future installations, 2008 code. I've never seen one installed anywhere. What are other electricians using for this. I know I can make one, but is there a standard device for this? He wants it tapped off of the ground rod.
 
Sierrasparky

Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
I think you can get them from the wholesaler or just use a regular Ground buss bar.
 
T

tommyrice

Member
intersystem bonding bar

intersystem bonding bar

sierrasparky wrote that we can use a regular ground bar.If this is correct,it certainly would be a cheaper way to accomplish this requirement.
 
tom baker

tom baker

First Chief Moderator
Staff member
Location
Bremerton, Washington
Most of the products designed to meet 250.94 attach to a GEC. A ground bar must have holes drilled and tapped, if its to be installed on a meter base. What if the meter base is flush in the wall? The intent of this rule is to provide an accessible means for bonding, that the cable guy can use.
But, there is a FPN to 250.94 thats been in the code for many years that would be easier than a ground bar....
 
Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

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Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
tommyrice said:
sierrasparky wrote that we can use a regular ground bar.If this is correct,it certainly would be a cheaper way to accomplish this requirement.
Click to expand...
I am not certain a regular ground bar is suitable for wet location.

Here is an example of the many items. There are more than shown here.

thumbnail.aspx
gb5_a.jpg
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Dennis Alwon said:
I am not certain a regular ground bar is suitable for wet location.
Click to expand...

That was my thought, most of the devices designed for this are bronze. How many times have you seen a ground bar in a breaker panel that is difficult to turn any of the lugs if it was installed in a basement with a lot of moisture
 
J

John120/240

Senior Member
Location
Olathe, Kansas
see picture Dennis post # 7

see picture Dennis post # 7

It's a fine idea for the phone & cable guy's application. But around here we are required to protect bare # 6 in 1/2 PVC from grade to the penetration
through the wall.
 
H

hurk27

Senior Member
Location
Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
it can be attached any where ahead of the main bonding jumper, meter cabinet, riser pipe, drop pipe, and even to the ground rod. I have see a couple large ones on a 2"drop pipe, but the most common around here is the one put on the ground rod, but looks like the same one as above, but fits a 5/8 rod like an acorn clamp.
 
M

macmikeman

Senior Member
Location
Planet macmikeman
Its so darn funny. Anything to do with grounding electrodes gets overdone by the inspectors. Around here, for the community bonding device, one will only accept a certain brand and another a different brand. Both brands have UL labeling. I found this out from one of the counter guys at Wesco. He was kind enough to ask me what area I was working in when I went there to purchase one of them buggers. Hence the tipoff. I wonder if the lightning that practically never strikes here will know the difference between the two brands....
 
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