Beam bonding

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DARUSA

Senior Member
Location
New York City
Wich sise of wire I have to use to bond the steel frame of the building for a 7000amps service? I tought # 4 is the m?ximum size Wire required.Is it correct?.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
If this is the structural steel frame of a building that qualifies as an electrode you'll need to use Table 250.66. It's bigger than #4 which is the maximum required for a CEE.
 

DARUSA

Senior Member
Location
New York City
250.66 is based on the CM of the service entrance wire that means I will have to runn a 3/0 wire.Another question is how can I terminate it to the Beam?
Is it a special connector for that?
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
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Journeyman Electrician
250.66 is based on the CM of the service entrance wire that means I will have to runn a 3/0 wire.Another question is how can I terminate it to the Beam?
Is it a special connector for that?

That's correct, the largest conductor listed in that table is #3/0 for a GEC to building steel.
 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
250.66 is based on the CM of the service entrance wire that means I will have to runn a 3/0 wire.Another question is how can I terminate it to the Beam?
Is it a special connector for that?

The most common thing I have actually seen used is a beam clamp. I have always had my doubts about it being code though.
 

raider1

Senior Member
Staff member
Location
Logan, Utah
The most common thing I have actually seen used is a beam clamp. I have always had my doubts about it being code though.

The problem that I have with beam clamps is the 250.8 requires the means used to attach the GEC to the electrode to be listed for the purpose and I have never seen a beam clamp that is listed for grounding.

Chris
 

kstanton5

Member
A #4 ithe minimum required for the concrete encased electrode,not maximum. To the best of my knowledge there is no maximum.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
A #4 ithe minimum required for the concrete encased electrode,not maximum. To the best of my knowledge there is no maximum.
Of course you may use larger than #4 but you are only required to use a gec that is not larger than #4. For a 100 amp service you can use smaller but in no case are you required to run larger than #4.
 

infinity

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Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
A #4 ithe minimum required for the concrete encased electrode,not maximum. To the best of my knowledge there is no maximum.

According to 250.66(B) the GEC to a CEE "shall not be required to be larger than 4 AWG copper wire." So #4 is the maximum required. You could always use a larger size if so choose.
 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
The problem that I have with beam clamps is the 250.8 requires the means used to attach the GEC to the electrode to be listed for the purpose and I have never seen a beam clamp that is listed for grounding.

Chris
Won't get any argument from me on that one. Just telling you what I have seen used. For some people the extra couple minutes required to drill a hole for a lug is just too much.
 
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