When were grounds first required?

[Hv&Lv]

I have tried to search the forum for the answer, with no luck. Can someone tell me what year(what edition) NEC started requiring a ground rod at the service entrance. I have replaced a few services at houses, most with 60 amp bases, that have no ground rod, or provisions for GEC in the base or the old edison fusebox. I had assumed that the rods weren't required at the time of the install, (late 60's early70's?). I was curious as to when the requirement was made. I would like to have this bit of information so I can try to inform a couple of home inspectors that think a GFCI and a ground rod has always been a requirement. Maybe time to dig out those old NEC copies?

 

[480sparky]

Off-hand, I can't say the NEC even requires a ground rod to this day.

 

[zbang]

Requirement for rods specifically or for any electrode?

I did find:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/18355180/Electrical-Wiring-History
Some History of Residential Wiring Practices in the U.S.
David A. Dini P.E.Underwriters Laboratories Inc

The great debate continued for over a decade, but in 1903 the Code was revised to recommend that these circuits be grounded, and finally in the 1913 Code a mandatory circuit grounding requirement was included for circuits like the popular residential Edison 3-wiresystem.

The early Codes permitted water-piping systems of 3-Ohms or less to ground to be used as an electrode, which was usually the case if the metal water pipe extended several feet into the ground. In 1923, the Code first mentioned electrodes of driven rod or pipe. The 1925 Code further referred to these driven electrodes as “artificial”electrodes, and required them to be at least 8 feet long, with minimum diameters of ? inch for a rod and ? inch for pipe. It also noted that if only one of these artificial electrodes had a resistance of greater than 25 Ohms to ground, then two artificial electrodes had to be provided spaced at least six feet apart.

Fascinating read.

 

[Hv&Lv]

Requirement for rods specifically or for any electrode?

I did find:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/18355180/Electrical-Wiring-History
Some History of Residential Wiring Practices in the U.S.
David A. Dini P.E.Underwriters Laboratories Inc



Fascinating read.

Any electrode. I see that maybe they have "always been required". I sure find alot that don't have any type or ground, waterpipe, rod or even a copper wire laying in the dirt!

 

[renosteinke]

I seem to recall the addition of a ground rod, in addition to the water bond, as becomming common in the early 60's ... just before three-wire (grounded) circuits became the norm.

 

[badashuka]

Off-hand, I can't say the NEC even requires a ground rod to this day.

I thought that ground rods were a requirement now, or maybe its just california. please tell me more, you just put my brain in a knot, :0

 

[dana1028]

I thought that ground rods were a requirement now, or maybe its just california. please tell me more, you just put my brain in a knot, :0

No - it is not 'maybe it's just California.' CA does not mandate a ground rod....ground rods are just typically the cheapest and easiest method of supplementing a metal water pipe when you are doing existing service upgrades.

 

[Joethemechanic]

I thought that ground rods were a requirement now, or maybe its just california. please tell me more, you just put my brain in a knot, :0

Off-hand, I can't say the NEC even requires a ground rod to this day.

I think you need to read it like that.