Who's job is it to ----

[JDB3]

Just went to a job site, others doing electric. The electrical contractors doing the house {EC#1}, bid the job with the service point on the house. Utility company would just go from their overhead lines to a "swing pole" on which the service was to be built, then ran underground to the house. Electricians doing the house, said that their bid did not include that & did not do that type of work. Hence, owner got another company {EC#2} to run underground to the house.

NOW the rub comes in! :rant:
EC#1 said that the whole system "had" to be bonded/grounded @ the service pole, 400 amp disconnect there.
EC#2 said system should be bonded/grounded @ the house, 2 200 amp panels on the house.
I was told that EC#2 ran 2 hots, 1 neutral, & 1 ground for each panel mounted on the house.

I have not looked it up yet, but am thinking that system should be bonded/grounded at both locations. I have not checked yet to see if there is a bond to the re-barb or about any ground rods yet.

What do you'll think :happyno: :happyyes:

 

[iwire]

The neutral should only be bonded to ground once. That must be done at the service disconnect.

But they cannot run two - 200 amp feeders into the home, only one feeder allowed.

 

[zbang]

If the service point is the pole (with the main), then there's the only system bonding jumper; everything else are feeders, so no N-G bonds at the hous. However, you still need grounding electrodes at each structure (inc. the pole), but at the house they're not bonded to the neutral, only to the EGC from the service.

Beware of disconnect locations and requirements at the house itself.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Both locations need a grounding electrode system.

At the pole the grounded conductor (neutral) would be connected to the Grounding Electrode Conductor and to the Equipment Grounding Conductors run to the house. At the house the grounded conductor would be isolated. The EGC from the pole and the GEC from the grounding electrode system at the house would be connected to the equipment grounding bus in the panels at the house.

 

[JDB3]

Thanks! I am old school, use to talking in terms of neutral & ground. NOT grounded & grounding (I tend to have a hard time keeping them separate), any good way to remember?

To clarify, in simple terms, ground rods (or equivalent), at both locations. At the pole, the neutral & ground will be connected. At the house, the neutrals stay separate & the grounds tie together.

 

[mkgrady]

Thanks! I am old school, use to talking in terms of neutral & ground. NOT grounded & grounding (I tend to have a hard time keeping them separate), any good way to remember?

To clarify, in simple terms, ground rods (or equivalent), at both locations. At the pole, the neutral & ground will be connected. At the house, the neutrals stay separate & the grounds tie together.

To help with grounded verses grounding conductor, think of egc (equipment grounding conductor).even old timers like me can remember grounding refers to the bare or green wire

 

[don_resqcapt19]

The neutral should only be bonded to ground once. That must be done at the service disconnect.

But they cannot run two - 200 amp feeders into the home, only one feeder allowed.

So they land them on a power distribution block at the house and take taps to the two panels.

 

[zbang]

So they land them on a power distribution block at the house and take taps to the two panels.

But make sure they're on a single breaker at the supply end and comply with 310.4 & friends. (Running two sets of conductors from pole to house was probably a bad idea.)

 

[iwire]

So they land them on a power distribution block at the house and take taps to the two panels.

Sure, if there is a single 400 OCPD at the service. If there are two 200s that will be a problem.

 

[JDB3]

Thanks one & all.

 

[jap]

The neutral should only be bonded to ground once. That must be done at the service disconnect.

But they cannot run two - 200 amp feeders into the home, only one feeder allowed.

400 amp house panels are made to bring 2 200 amp feeders "into the home" not sure I understand this post?