Electrode Conductor Size

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session88

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Have a 200 amp service on a house with a ground rod. #4 AWG grounding electrode conductor from service to ground rod. What is minumium size grounding electrode contuctor needed to bond the copper pipe water main into the house? #6 AWG????
 

infinity

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Dave had the answer, it's in 250.66 and the question cannot be answered with the information provided. Hint: it's not #6.
 

Dennis Alwon

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Have a 200 amp service on a house with a ground rod. #4 AWG grounding electrode conductor from service to ground rod. What is minumium size grounding electrode contuctor needed to bond the copper pipe water main into the house? #6 AWG????

The #4 is not needed to the ground rod- #6 is all that is required but a #4 GEC to the water pipes would be the general requirement for a 200 amp service.
 

session88

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Electrode Conductor Size

The #4 is not needed to the ground rod- #6 is all that is required but a #4 GEC to the water pipes would be the general requirement for a 200 amp service.


The SEC's are 3/0. An 8' ground rod was installed at the service along with a grounding electrode conductor to the water main. So could the rod be consided THE electrode and the water main piping be considerd the supplemental electrode?

Or is the rod always considered the supplemental electrode to an underground metal water pipe?
 

suemarkp

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Kent, WA
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Doesn't matter -- they both exist and must be wired accordingly. #6 maximum to rods, #4 maximum to UFER. But there are advantages to just using #4 for everything (some install limitations on #6 and definitely #8 GEC's), doesn't matter to which electrode you go to first when you use the same largest size wire throughout.

You may even need two rods, unless you can probe the resistance of just one is 25 ohms or less.
 

Little Bill

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Doesn't matter -- they both exist and must be wired accordingly. #6 maximum to rods, #4 maximum to UFER. But there are advantages to just using #4 for everything (some install limitations on #6 and definitely #8 GEC's), doesn't matter to which electrode you go to first when you use the same largest size wire throughout.

You may even need two rods, unless you can probe the resistance of just one is 25 ohms or less.


You wouldn't need two rods if you also use the water pipe, providing it has 10' in the ground.
 

Dennis Alwon

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IMO, the rod is the supplemental since the code states that the underground water line be supplemented by a method in 250.52(A)(2) thu (A)(8).
 
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