Grounding a receptacle to cold water pipe

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GG

Senior Member
Location
Ft.Worth, T.X.
What code cycle did the NEC prohibit you from grouding a 3 prong - 120 volt residential receptacle to the cold water pipe when you only had a hot and a nuetral at a receptacle that you wanted to ground? Was these ever acceptable? I can remember working for a guy 15 years ago who did this all the time and would tell me that the code allowed it.
 
jxofaltrds

jxofaltrds

Inspector Mike®
Location
Mike P. Columbus Ohio
Occupation
ESI, PI, RBO
gg said:
what code cycle did the nec prohibit you from grouding a 3 prong - 120 volt residential receptacle to the cold water pipe when you only had a hot and a nuetral at a receptacle that you wanted to ground? Was these ever acceptable? I can remember working for a guy 15 years ago who did this all the time and would tell me that the code allowed it.
Click to expand...

250.130(c).
 
Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
Still acceptable if you go to the water pipe within 5' of where it enters the building. Oh yeah the pipe was be metallic...:D
 
G

GG

Senior Member
Location
Ft.Worth, T.X.
So I can just grab a roll of bare #14 copper for 15 amp circuits and run this from the ground screw of the receptacle to 5' of the water pipe or even into the ground bus at a service panel? I did not know that has always been allowed. Thats good to know.
 
Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
GG said:
So I can just grab a roll of bare #14 copper for 15 amp circuits and run this from the ground screw of the receptacle to 5' of the water pipe or even into the ground bus at a service panel? I did not know that has always been allowed. Thats good to know.
Click to expand...

If I could I would run a new wire back to the panel rather than just a ground wire. Heck if you go thru that much trouble you may as well run a new cable.
 
jxofaltrds

jxofaltrds

Inspector Mike®
Location
Mike P. Columbus Ohio
Occupation
ESI, PI, RBO
GG said:
So I can just grab a roll of bare #14 copper for 15 amp circuits and run this from the ground screw of the receptacle to 5' of the water pipe or even into the ground bus at a service panel? I did not know that has always been allowed. Thats good to know.
Click to expand...

Short answer. Yes.
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Dennis Alwon said:
If I could I would run a new wire back to the panel rather than just a ground wire. Heck if you go thru that much trouble you may as well run a new cable.
Click to expand...
I agree. When asked about adding grounding to existing receptacles, I begin with "Why?" In most cases, it involves appliances, audio/video systems, or computer setups.

Just about every time, I recommend installing a new circuit for the new load instead. It's better for the new equipment, and alleviates the existing wiring of the additional load.

Oh, yeah. It also means a full-sized EGC run with its circuit conductors, positively connected at the circuit's source.
 
O

OregonSE

Member
Location
Oregon
GG said:
What code cycle did the NEC prohibit you from grouding a 3 prong - 120 volt residential receptacle to the cold water pipe when you only had a hot and a nuetral at a receptacle that you wanted to ground? Was these ever acceptable? I can remember working for a guy 15 years ago who did this all the time and would tell me that the code allowed it.
Click to expand...

IMO,grounding a receptacle to a cold water pipe is a BAD idea even though permitted. There are to many failure possibilities. I have seen to many failures with this method which have caused injurys and fires. Stick with 300.3B.
IMO
 
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