Bonding Cold Water Electrode

[Will Wire]

If a new Service Panel is installed on an existing house and the new Service will have 20 feet of # 4 solid bare copper as a Uffer ground. Is it important that a bond wire which will be run to connect to the cold water, be connected within the first 5 feet where it enters the building, as opposed to another location on the cold water piping. NEC 250.68 requires that it be connected within the first 5 feet. I know the reason for the 5 foot requirement is due to electrical continuity.

The reason that I'm asking the question is that it appears that the cold water electrode is being fazed out with the plastic water lines suppling the new houses and the house then being piped with PEX plastic pipe. Also many repairs of older systems are using plastic.

I have always bonded the cold water within the first 5 feet. I am just wondering if it is as important as it once was.

Thanks.

 

[roger]

You would have to connect within 5' regardless of any other electrodes if the water piping qualifies as an electrode. If you're just bonding the water piping it can be anywhere per 250.104(A)

 

[kwired]

The way NEC is worded if the electrode exists you must use it. That conversion to non metallic piping may be years before it happens.

 

[jaggedben]

See discussion here and here.

But if you think that the water line between your bond and first 5ft might be replaced with plastic at some point then you can't really defend not going to the first 5ft.

 

[Will Wire]

Thank you everyone for your input. I truly appreciate it.