Fiberglass Lighting Pole Grounding

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hbendillo

Senior Member
Location
South carolina
I am working on a project where we are specifying fiberglass light poles. The mounting base of the pole is steel that is sleeved to the pole and bolted to the foundation. Here is what I am doing for grounding:

Light fixture enclosure bonded to circuit grounding conductor as usual.

Ground lug in pole to which equipment grounds are tied together.

Bonding conductor tied from ground lug to pole base.

I am thinking the pole base has to be bonded to the equipment ground since there is not a ground path from the lug, which is mounted to the fiberglass pole, to the pole base.

Any other grounding measures required for this type of installation.

Thanks.
 
Sometimes for lightpoles they will also have a ground rod driven at the base of each pole, but typically that is detailed from the engineer and on all steel or concrete poles. I dont recall ever having to ground the steel base of a fiberglass pole. Typically the underground pipes in the concrete base are often left long and the conductors pass the steel polebase still in the race way, and that could be why.

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GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
If the luminaires at the top of the pole have exposed metal surfaces you will have to run an EGC to them. And if you believe that the pole is a structure, then you will have to bond your EGC to a local ground electrode.
 

hbendillo

Senior Member
Location
South carolina
Thanks for your replies. Had major water damage in our office so have been out of touch. With a metal pole, fixtures and foundation reinforcement there is some electrical continuity. But with a fiberglass pole I thought it would be prudent to bond any metal in the assembly to the EGC. Although it is not likely for the foundation to be energized. I show a ground rod tied to the foundation steel. Of course that is an issue I have seen discussed many times on this forum.
 

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
Sometimes for lightpoles they will also have a ground rod driven at the base of each pole, but typically that is detailed from the engineer and on all steel or concrete poles. I dont recall ever having to ground the steel base of a fiberglass pole. Typically the underground pipes in the concrete base are often left long and the conductors pass the steel polebase still in the race way, and that could be why.

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What does it matter that the conductors pass the steel pole base still in the raceway?


JAP>
 
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