.8 amps/Dangerous?
- Thread starter pauld
- Start date
Master Nater
Senior Member
- Location
- Midwest
- Occupation
- Electrical Magician
what are we looking at here? amperage on a grounding electrode?
if so, you need to understand that electricity takes ALL PATHS AVAILABLE. not the misinformation that we've all heard about taking the path of least resistance.
so, on any system, there will be current flow on the GEC. it just dpeneds upon how low the resistance on the grounding electrode system is, versus what the resistance is on the service grounded conductor. this COULD be an indicator of a system neutral getting weak, but not neccessarily. what is the amperage on the neutral to compare to?
if so, you need to understand that electricity takes ALL PATHS AVAILABLE. not the misinformation that we've all heard about taking the path of least resistance.
so, on any system, there will be current flow on the GEC. it just dpeneds upon how low the resistance on the grounding electrode system is, versus what the resistance is on the service grounded conductor. this COULD be an indicator of a system neutral getting weak, but not neccessarily. what is the amperage on the neutral to compare to?
curt swartz
Senior Member
- Location
- San Jose, CA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Having current on the GEC's is very normal especially if there are multiple services connected to the metal underground water service.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician (retired)
Nothing to address. As others have stated this is perfectly normal.
winnie
Senior Member
- Location
- Springfield, MA, USA
- Occupation
- Electric motor research
IMHO I'd ask a few questions before declaring this perfectly normal.
1) Are we looking at current flowing to water pipe bond, to a couple of ground rods, or to something else?
2) How large of a service are we looking at?
If I saw 0.8A flowing into a typical ground rod at a residence, I'd want to dig further. That current would imply significant voltage on the neutral given the typical ground rod resistance.
If I saw 0.8A flowing into to a water pipe ground in an urban residence (where common underground piping is typical) then I wouldn't be concerned at all; the underground pipes are a metallic connection parallel to the neutral.
If I saw 0.8A flowing to a water pipe bond at a location where the underground water piping was insulated, I'd be very concerned; that 0.8A implies some sort of ground fault in the facility.
If I saw 0.8A flowing to a large grounding electrode system at a big industrial plant with a huge service I wouldn't be concerned at all.
(And note: I am familiar with theory and the above is based on that. I am not a professional electrician.)
1) Are we looking at current flowing to water pipe bond, to a couple of ground rods, or to something else?
2) How large of a service are we looking at?
If I saw 0.8A flowing into a typical ground rod at a residence, I'd want to dig further. That current would imply significant voltage on the neutral given the typical ground rod resistance.
If I saw 0.8A flowing into to a water pipe ground in an urban residence (where common underground piping is typical) then I wouldn't be concerned at all; the underground pipes are a metallic connection parallel to the neutral.
If I saw 0.8A flowing to a water pipe bond at a location where the underground water piping was insulated, I'd be very concerned; that 0.8A implies some sort of ground fault in the facility.
If I saw 0.8A flowing to a large grounding electrode system at a big industrial plant with a huge service I wouldn't be concerned at all.
(And note: I am familiar with theory and the above is based on that. I am not a professional electrician.)
EngineeredElectric
Member
- Location
- Lockport IL
- Occupation
- Contractor
I'm with Winne. More info needed.