Frank Licata
Member
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Grounding Electrode System Question
- Thread starter Jerramundi
- Start date
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Frank Licata
Member
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
In MA the GEC always lands in the service disconnect enclosure. I have seen deviations from this in NH though.
Frank Licata
Member
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
NEC 250.66 requires the GEC to land at the service disconnect, unlike supplementary GECs which don't have that requirement.
Strathead
Senior Member
- Location
- Ocala, Florida, USA
- Occupation
- Electrician/Estimator/Project Manager/Superintendent
250.24 Grounding Service-Supplied Alternating-Current
Systems.
(A) System Grounding Connections. A premises wiring system
supplied by a grounded ac service shall have a grounding elec‐
trode conductor connected to the grounded service conductor,
at each service, in accordance with 250.24(A)(1) through
(A)(5).
(1) General. The grounding electrode conductor connection
shall be made at any accessible point from the load end of the
overhead service conductors, service drop, underground serv‐
ice conductors, or service lateral to, including the terminal or
bus to which the grounded service conductor is connected at
the service disconnecting means
Frank Licata
Member
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
So how is it “accessible” in a locked meter trough?
Strathead
Senior Member
- Location
- Ocala, Florida, USA
- Occupation
- Electrician/Estimator/Project Manager/Superintendent
Because it doesn't say, readily accessible.
Fred B
Senior Member
- Location
- Upstate, NY
- Occupation
- Electrician
Look at codes definition of accessible in Article 100
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
It doesn't have to be "readily accessible" Some AHJ's and or POCO's still don't want it in there. POCO maybe has some ability to say this, I think the AHJ's that say so are overstepping their authority in saying this. If they really want it that way they should submit PI and try to get code changed.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Those that don't want to see GEC land in a meter socket because it gets locked by POCO are indirectly saying it needs to be readily accessible whether they realize it or not. It is still accessible by removing the lock/seal it just isn't readily accessible. Same for if you connected it at the point of connection to service drop - that point generally isn't allowed to be readily accessible by NEC.
Fred B
Senior Member
- Location
- Upstate, NY
- Occupation
- Electrician
Never seen it done, so was wondering Implications of bonding G/N at service drop, by doing this wouldn't that then require a 4 wire (in a single phase application) from the service drop, through the meter and to first disconnect with seperated G/N.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
No, the separation of the EGC's and neutrals begins after the point where the MBJ is installed. The neutral is typically bonded to the metal enclosures in multiple places ahead of the the service disconnect so it doesn't really matter where the GEC landed.
Strathead
Senior Member
- Location
- Ocala, Florida, USA
- Occupation
- Electrician/Estimator/Project Manager/Superintendent
I don't understand your question. I am saying that the connection needs to be accessible not readily accessible
Sorry Strathead, I was directing that at Frank. The reason for my question was if someone says a GEC connection is not accessible in a meter enclosure the other conductors that are terminated inside the enclosure aren't either so how is that allowed?
You and I are in agreement with each other. I said this in a recent thread, "a seal on a meter does not make it inaccessible no more than a lock on an electrical room door does, you might have to wait for someone to show up to remove the seal or bring a key but it is accessible"
Roger
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Because the NEC has no jurisdiction over POCO equipment.
Never said it did, it's more of "if one isn't how are the others" regardless of who is making the claim.
Roger
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Meter socket isn't necessarily POCO equipment. The meter that gets plugged into it usually is - for self contained metering anyway. Yes they do still put a lock or seal on the cover to prevent theft of services, but if you need inside to do some maintenance/repairs they typically will unlock it or in some cases allow you to cut seal and they will seal it again after work is completed.
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