Grounding Electrode System

[infinity]

I recently had a discussion with an L&I electrical inspector from WA in Olympia who said he had never heard of anyone ever using less than one ground rod in his 35 years as an inspector. I so wanted to invite him to my two houses and as many neighbor's houses as I had discussed this with and show him some of those "rare" homes. I didn't want to delve into using a fall of potential or clamp on ground tester since he was insistent on proving my method wrong...I let him have that one since he likely would be approving the work. Ya gotta know when to pick your fights.

So if you're using less than one rod (zero rods) then what are you using as the grounding electrode?

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[jxofaltrds]

perfect for my question and i believe what you are saying is that i can do this:

i have two ground rods i want to install on the way to the same end of the house the gas is at. so i may use bare #4 (200A service) to go to my two ground rods, then go to the gas pipe. correct? at least that what i think you said. (also for above post, couldn't he use the water pipe w/in five feet AS the second grounding electrode if he only wants to pound in one?)

Can you be more specific? CSST has special bonding requirements. Black gas pipe is bonded by the EGC of the appliance it's connected to.

Where are you 'bonding' the gas lines?

I was asking about the highlighted area.

 

[pfactor2]

The plan

The plan

Your termination to the water pipe must be within 5ft of where it enters the building - with an exception for industrial locations.

So my final plan for this system will be to run a #2cu from service neutral 5ft to 1st rod, 6ft or more 2nd rod, then the closest water service entry to building is another 60ft away which is also is a 3/4 copper water service underground which also will bind the interior water piping. I was originally going to bond a copper hose bib 5ft from service BUT it does not enter the building at building at that point just ties to the the water system somewhere underground. I guess me only gyration is that overall 70ft of GEC is acceptable.By the way 70ft of continuous #2.

 

[ActionDave]

So my final plan for this system will be to run a #2cu from service neutral 5ft to 1st rod, 6ft or more 2nd rod, then the closest water service entry to building is another 60ft away which is also is a 3/4 copper water service underground which also will bind the interior water piping. I was originally going to bond a copper hose bib 5ft from service BUT it does not enter the building at building at that point just ties to the the water system somewhere underground. I guess me only gyration is that overall 70ft of GEC is acceptable.By the way 70ft of continuous #2.

That will work fine. A bit of overkill though. what happened to your original plan?

 

[infinity]

I guess me only gyration is that overall 70ft of GEC is acceptable.By the way 70ft of continuous #2.

70' is fine. I would use aluminum to the water pipe and #6 copper to the rods.

 

[pfactor2]

Explain please

Explain please

That will work fine. A bit of overkill though. what happened to your original plan?

What part is the overkill

 

[ActionDave]

What part is the overkill

The #2 to the round rods.

 

[infinity]

The #2 to the round rods.

In his newer plan the #2 to the rods first would be required since after the second rod he plans on jumping to the water pipe.

to run a #2cu from service neutral 5ft to 1st rod, 6ft or more 2nd rod, then the closest water service entry to building is another 60ft away

 

[ActionDave]

Right. But what changed between plan 1 and 2 to hit the ground rods first?