gnd. rods

Status
Not open for further replies.

GerryB

Senior Member
Anyone know of any limitation on the distance from the meter socket that the rods need to be placed.
I had a service this summer where the meter was on the side of the garage, we had to pipe around the garage to the house and into the basement. I put the rods near the meter. When the inspector came we were talking and I mentioned I was thinking of putting the rods where I entered the house, nearer the panel, etc. He said they had to be near the meter, I didn't ask why or for a reference. The reason I did put them near the meter was because the phone and cable grounds were there and if I left them hanging he would have said something.
 

jaggedben

Senior Member
Location
Northern California
Occupation
Solar and Energy Storage Installer
It's better if the grounding electrode conductor is short and straight. But there are no limitations in the NEC to my knowledge.
 

Hendrix

Senior Member
Location
New England
It's better if the grounding electrode conductor is short and straight. But there are no limitations in the NEC to my knowledge.

Thanks. The reason I ask is a situation where the meter is in a play area of a daycare center and the EC put the rods about 50' away to get them out of the area that the kids play in. The gnd wire runs through the building and out the other side.
 

construct

Senior Member
I agree with the others that there is no distance limitation. However, since one function of the GES is to provide a lightning strike to the building a path to ground, logic would say to locate it as close as possible to the building. That being said, most of us know that lightning goes where it wants to anyway. ;)

George Carlin said, "Electricity is really just organized lightning" :cool:
 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
I agree with the others that there is no distance limitation. However, since one function of the GES is to provide a lightning strike to the building a path to ground, logic would say to locate it as close as possible to the building. That being said, most of us know that lightning goes where it wants to anyway. ;)

George Carlin said, "Electricity is really just organized lightning" :cool:

where does it say this in the code?
 

construct

Senior Member
where does it say this in the code?

The code doesn't specifically word it as I did, but, 250.4(A)(1) states: "Electrical systems that are grounded shall be connected to earth in a manner that will limit the voltage imposed by lightning, line surges, or unintentional contact with higher voltage lines and that will stabilize the voltage to earth during normal operation."

As 'electrofelon' mentioned....
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top