250.134 Connection to GES

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hill900505

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250.134 states non-current-carrying metal parts of the raceway/enclosure needs to be connected to an equipment grounding conductor (does not say it can be connected to a GES), I have a gutter/wireway below 3 electrical panels (nippled through), there are underground conductors coming through the gutter then getting terminated into corresponding panels. There is 4/0 ground ring encircling the equipment. Would it be code compliant to tap a ground wire from the gutter surface to the ground ring instead of having the gutter connected to an EGC coming from one of the panels?
 
ActionDave said:
I need to ask question for clarity,

How is it that the gutter not connected to an equipment ground already? Are you saying the panels have no egc and there are PVC nipples between the gutter and the panel?
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Correct, there are PVC nipples between gutter and panel. Underground sweep is also PVC, there are EGCs coming out of the panels but just going through, the gutter is not grounded.
 
GoldDigger said:
Absolutely, AFAIK.


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I am not sure if I am following, can the gutter be connected to the ground ring directly using a GEC or it must be connected to an EGC from any of the nipples using a lay-in lug. The code says the gutter needs to be connected to an EGC, I was wondering if I could connect it directly to a GES (the ground ring) because all EGCs are connected to the GES eventually.
 
You are supposed to run the EGC with the circuit conductors. Bonding it to the GES wouldn't follow that. There's also been a code section added that prohibits using a GEC as an EGC.

Just tap one of the EGCs coming through to a lay in lug.
 
jaggedben said:
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Just tap one of the EGCs coming through to a lay in lug.
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That's what I'd do. And use the largest EGC.

If not enough play in that EGC to reach sidewall, use a gutter tap... or just run an EGC the same size from a panel's EGC terminal bus.
 
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The fundamental misunderstanding here leading to the OP question is that fault current flowing back over the EGC ultimately travels over the GEC to ground. That is not true. Fault current traveling over the EGC ultimately returns to the source...XO at the Transformer. It does not flow over the GEC. Therefore, like everyone here said, the gutter must be connected to the largest EGC running through it.

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