Contractor Unable to Locate Ground Ring

[ez0k]

The MEP consulting firm I work for designed a new addition to a large commercial building. This addition is currently in construction, but the contractor has been unable to locate the existing ground ring to relocate it so it fully circles the building. We really are not sure where it is, as the building has been added onto in the past. I cannot find anything in the code (2011 NEC) that says we have to relocate this ring, so could we simply install new grounding electrodes around the new addition? Any input or suggested reading would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You!

 

[hurk27]

The MEP consulting firm I work for designed a new addition to a large commercial building. This addition is currently in construction, but the contractor has been unable to locate the existing ground ring to relocate it so it fully circles the building. We really are not sure where it is, as the building has been added onto in the past. I cannot find anything in the code (2011 NEC) that says we have to relocate this ring, so could we simply install new grounding electrodes around the new addition? Any input or suggested reading would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You!

I ground ring is not required by the NEC, it is just one of the electrodes listed in 250.52 that you may install to serve as a grounding electrode, there are other types of electrodes allowed, but a ground ring might have been specified by an engineer for better lightning protection or to get the resistance of the electrode system lower?

For locating of any conductors a RDF unit can be rented or maybe you have a company you could hires that does underground utility locates that would also locate customers conductors, I have the equipment for doing my own locates and I'm often hired by customers to locate conductors or pipes for them mainly trailer parks that have a ton of embedded utilities.

underground locater's are quite expensive to buy and average above $2k for a good unit that will detect bare coper conductors in the ground, but you might find one at a rental place or find a contractor who does trenching that might have one you could hire to find the ring.

 

[hurk27]

Also there is no requirement to add new grounding electrodes just for a new addition to a building, if you are not adding another service or moving it, there is no requirement to do so.

 

[brian john]

Hurk if this is a bare ground ring locating would be impossible with a locator, a metal detecto possibly.

All the rest has been said in regards to the OP

 

[hurk27]

Hurk if this is a bare ground ring locating would be impossible with a locator, a metal detecto possibly.

All the rest has been said in regards to the OP

Not so my friend, I have been locating bare copper iron or GRC pipes as well as bare copper cables in earth for a long time with my Dynatel 2273, it a very common call for me to locate someones water lines to the street main connection and these are almost always copper pipes.


DYNATEL 2273

It has a 5 watt multi-frequency transmitter that can follow a pipe or bare copper cable a long ways, I used it to locate my sprinkler system pipes (copper) and made a map of it so I know where it is in my own yard, of course it was the first time I have ever seen someone use copper for a sprinkler system:blink:

I also have a RD brand UGL that while I don't like it as well as the DYNATEL, it also will locate bare pipes and cables, just doesn't have the range or multiple frequency's and other features the DYNATEL has, like the DYNATEL will tell you how deep it is in inch's, nice to know how far you got to dig, how much current is flowing, and with the A-frame will pin point a earth fault so I can dig it up and repair it, nails it every time.

But at a (new) cost of just over $5k it is pricey, but I have seen them on E-Bay for around $1200.00 new and used

 

[brian john]

Not so my friend, I have been locating bare copper iron or GRC pipes as well as bare copper cables in earth for a long time with my Dynatel 2273, it a very common call for me to locate someones water lines to the street main connection and these are almost always copper pipes.


d

:thumbsup: Thanks

 

[ez0k]

Thank You

Thank You

Thank you everyone for your replies. Since it is not required by code I do not think we are going to worry about it. My original thought was that because the ground ring should be in place and functioning, that we would be required to keep that functionality. Searching with the locator will just increase the cost, which is something we cannot afford at the moment.

Thanks again!