grounding electrode conductor VS.Equipment grounding conductor

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1.Is a grounding electrode a ground rod,pipe,building steel or plate?
2.Is the grounding electrode conductor the wire that connects to the grounding electrode's?
3.Is 250-66 the table in the nec that this wire GEC size is found?
4.Does the grounding electrode conductor terminate in the meter can?

Now, does the same size wire as the GEC run out of the metercan to the disconnect and on to the panel? OR Do you go to 250-122 and change the wire size becuase it now becomes the Equipment grounding conductor? Realizing that 250-66 size's don't match 250-122 size's. Can someone explane please?

Thank You,Stafford Electric
 

Dennis Alwon

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Location
Chapel Hill, NC
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Retired Electrical Contractor
1.Is a grounding electrode a ground rod,pipe,building steel or plate?
Yes
2.Is the grounding electrode conductor the wire that connects to the grounding electrode's?
Yes
3.Is 250-66 the table in the nec that this wire GEC size is found?
Yes
4.Does the grounding electrode conductor terminate in the meter can?
It can but it can also be in the service disconnect or at the weatherhead.

Now, does the same size wire as the GEC run out of the metercan to the disconnect and on to the panel? OR Do you go to 250-122 and change the wire size becuase it now becomes the Equipment grounding conductor? Realizing that 250-66 size's don't match 250-122 size's. Can someone explane please?
You do not run an egc or a gec from the meter to the first or service disconnect. From the service disconnect to another panel etc, you would then use 250.122 for the EGC.
 

augie47

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Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
One simple rule to keep in mind...if you are "grounding" or bonding ahead of the first overcurrent device (service raceways, meter sockets, service disconnects, etc) it is size 250.66, if you are grounding after the OCP it's 250.122.
 

tryinghard

Senior Member
Location
California
?OR Do you go to 250-122 and change the wire size becuase it now becomes the Equipment grounding conductor? Realizing that 250-66 size's don't match 250-122 size's. Can someone explane please? Thank You,Stafford Electric

These are two different systems with different purposes. The grounding electrode system is primarily for lightning and over voltage (250.4(A)(1)-(2)). The equipment grounding is for fault path routing to source to open the circuit in the event of a short (250.4(A)(3)-(5)). Just remember electricity is not seeking earth it is seeking its source; often a transformer.
An excellent and simple read is Grounding vs Bonding The Big Picture
 
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