6 GROUNDRODS

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jap

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Looked in a ditch the other day where (3) sets of 200 amp service conductors were coming from a padmount transformer to (3) individual 200 amp meter mains mounted on a rack.
(3) Groundrods were driven in the ditch roughly 6" apart about 10 feet from the meter location ,then, another 3 were driven 6" apart roughly 20' from the meter location for a total of (6) rods.

They took a #6 bare from each meter and caught (2) rods each. One at 10' away and one at 20' away as individual applications.
They did not bond any of the rods together.

To me this was an overkill but seeing as how they did install all the rods I feel they should have all been bonded together.

Couldn't the rule have been satisfied by taking the #6 GEC from each meter to (2) rods total ?

JAP.
 
jap said:
Looked in a ditch the other day where (3) sets of 200 amp service conductors were coming from a padmount transformer to (3) individual 200 amp meter mains mounted on a rack.
(3) Groundrods were driven in the ditch roughly 6" apart about 10 feet from the meter location ,then, another 3 were driven 6" apart roughly 20' from the meter location for a total of (6) rods.

They took a #6 bare from each meter and caught (2) rods each. One at 10' away and one at 20' away as individual applications.
They did not bond any of the rods together.

To me this was an overkill but seeing as how they did install all the rods I feel they should have all been bonded together.

Couldn't the rule have been satisfied by taking the #6 GEC from each meter to (2) rods total ?

JAP.
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I agree that all electrodes need to be bonded together.
 
I agree by using 6 rods that they need to be bonded together, 250.58.

Also, using #6 seems like a violation, it would be required to have protection. Could it have been #4 bare?
 
pjholguin said:
#6 Cu conductor is all that is required to go to a ground rod.
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250.64(B)

A 6 AWG grounding electrode conductor that is free from exposure to physical damage shall be permitted to be run along the surface of the building construction without metal covering or protection if it is securely fastened to the construction; otherwise, it shall be protected in rigid metal conduit RMC, intermediate metal conduit (IMC), rigid polyvinyl chloride conduit (PVC), reinforced thermosetting resin conduit (RTRC), electrical metallic tubing EMT, or cable armor.
 
#6 Cu conductor is all that is required to connect to a ground rod, and IIRC is the only size allowed to be installed exposed unless it is exposed to physical damage.



lauraj said:
250.64(B)

A 6 AWG grounding electrode conductor that is free from exposure to physical damage shall be permitted to be run along the surface of the building construction without metal covering or protection if it is securely fastened to the construction; otherwise, it shall be protected in rigid metal conduit RMC, intermediate metal conduit (IMC), rigid polyvinyl chloride conduit (PVC), reinforced thermosetting resin conduit (RTRC), electrical metallic tubing EMT, or cable armor.
Click to expand...
 
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I agree that code only requires a #6, but I still don't see how they are using that as described and still meeting the protection requirement for grounding electrode conductors.

Minimum size we run here most of the time to ground rods is #4 so we don't have to run it in conduit.
 
lauraj said:
I agree that code only requires a #6, but I still don't see how they are using that as described and still meeting the protection requirement for grounding electrode conductors.

Minimum size we run here most of the time to ground rods is #4 so we don't have to run it in conduit.
Click to expand...


Where does it must run it in conduit???
 
It is one structure with three service disconnecting means. One grounding electrode system is all that is required, one rod is sufficient if it is under 25 ohms otherwise two rods is all that is needed, if there is no other electrodes present.
 
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