Plastic water pipe

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e57

Senior Member
A first for me, and a new thing for guys to watch for in my area. (I know there a few here)

HDPE Water service.... SF is now allowing (apparently) plastic water lines and sewers too.

Meaning we can no longer be dependant on water for grounding. I know this is nothing new for most of you - but it came to me as a shock when the plumber showed up with it. I promptly demanded 10'+ of copper underground. Especially, since I had already planned to take my UFER there instead of the panel.
 

Twoskinsoneman

Senior Member
Location
West Virginia, USA NEC: 2020
Occupation
Facility Senior Electrician
Seems like a good thing to me. You have to use all electrodes that are present right? Even if your were going to to take your UFER to the pipe you still had to go from that same general area of pipe to the panel right?

I don't get it just seems like less work.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
I don't get it just seems like less work.

The only thing I can think of is he already has a uffer that can not reach the panel and he does not want to bother with an irreversible splice at the water pipe location.

In that case he could just drive a ground rod and use that as his splice and that does not require irreversible means.

But ..... I am really guessing here. :D
 
The only thing I can think of is he already has a uffer that can not reach the panel and he does not want to bother with an irreversible splice at the water pipe location.

In that case he could just drive a ground rod and use that as his splice and that does not require irreversible means.

But ..... I am really guessing here. :D


If he drives a (1) rod, is he required to drive a second (2) rod? ;)
 

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
I would far rather see plastic. Now no bonding required. Drive 2 rods where you want them and its over. That beats you going half way across the house to get to his copper.
 

e57

Senior Member
The only thing I can think of is he already has a uffer that can not reach the panel and he does not want to bother with an irreversible splice at the water pipe location.

In that case he could just drive a ground rod and use that as his splice and that does not require irreversible means.

But ..... I am really guessing here. :D
Yeah both are at the water location already set in liquid stone (concrete). I could splice the two - but I would still need to bond the metal water in the building. IMO once it is no longer an electrode (plastic underground) I would have to splice. If metal UG just a clamp would do. They have 10' of copper now - so all good - just wanted to warn the guys used to metal UG in my area.
 

220/221

Senior Member
Location
AZ
In AZ, we stopped using the water as a ground sometime in the 60's.

It's another one of those things I didn't realize people still did until reading the electrical message boards.

Since I've been in the trade ('74) it's always been ufer/ground rod(s)
 

ultramegabob

Senior Member
Location
Indiana
I promptly demanded 10'+ of copper underground.


You demanded the plumber to do something? That wouldnt fly well with most of the plumbers in my area, Just as it wouldnt set well with me, if they demanded that I do something that "they" want that would cost "me" money and not benefit me in any way.....
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
If you install a ufer or a rod, you are simply bonding the water pipe. If the pipe is plastic there's nothing to bond so you could just add another ground rod if you need too. Of course you still have to bond the water system if the piping in the house is metalic, but there are many cities that are going to plastic pipe through out the whole house.

Here many of the old houses have cold water grounds and over the years many houses here have had their water service changed to plastic and of course no one thinks that they just lost their ground. Hopefully the plumbing inspector picks up on it.
 
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