Can AHJs require you to add Grounds/Bonds to a Main Service Panel that was previously approved by them

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Sonpower

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Whittier, California
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Electrical Contractor
We are installing a Solar PV system on an existing electrical panel that was approved by the same AHJ and the City inspector is asking us to add additional GEC's as part of our work - is that right?
 
Well you are working on the equipment, tough call I run into that on Service changes, up to AHJ. Could argue if it was not compliant why the original approval.
 
This may not apply in this case, but it’s not unheard of for copper thieves to remove GECs that are on the outside of a structure. If so, maybe they were there when installation was approved initially.
 
Doesn't your contract state something like "The cost of unforeseen events encountered due to the construction and installation
of this contract in reference to said project as bid that arise in the course of construction, that are beyond the scope of this bid but must
be covered within initial contract as a means to completion of said project are to be sent to owner or their representative for .... "

If I've learned anything in this work, "if you touch it one own it"! Now I'm not making a open statement that you now owe the panel.
But how can you install your work without a proper GEC to begin with?

Whoever inspected the job missed this fact!
 
Sonpower said:
We are installing a Solar PV system on an existing electrical panel that was approved by the same AHJ and the City inspector is asking us to add additional GEC's as part of our work - is that right?
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Your post is a little vauge (what GECs? Why exactly?) but pretty much every AHJ I've ever worked in does this for solar. Article 690 requires the structure supporting the PV to have a grounding electrode system, so if the existing grounding for the service is not compliant that's what they can cite. It doesn't matter if they approved it before, you've re-opened the issue.

Now if the existing grounding for the service is compliant and they are requiring extra grounding electrode or GEC directly connected to the PV array, that's out of date I would point out to them that 690.47(D) was changed three years ago to no longer require this. Be thankful that most of the extra, unnecessary grounding requirements for solar were removed then. All you need to the array is an EGC like with any other equipment.
 
Sonpower said:
We are installing a Solar PV system on an existing electrical panel that was approved by the same AHJ and the City inspector is asking us to add additional GEC's as part of our work - is that right?
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Was it compliant when installed but not any more because the rules changed? You could be on the hook for "you touch it, you fix it".
 
You're adding to the potential fault.

If hes asking you to make sure the water main is bonded and jumped, and you need ground rods per the NEC I can't see why you're even asking this.

If he's asking you to break away concrete to get to the rebar, then I think it's a problem
 
Steve16 said:
You're adding to the potential fault.
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Not really. (The PV is a rounding error compared to the utility.) And grounding electrodes don't help with fault current anyway.

Steve16 said:
If hes asking you to make sure the water main is bonded and jumped, and you need ground rods per the NEC I can't see why you're even asking this.

If he's asking you to break away concrete to get to the rebar, then I think it's a problem
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I agree.
 
In 2023 the 690.47(A) language for a GES for a building or structure requires a GES installed according to 690.47(B) and there is no requirement to install a GES according to article 250 Part III anymore.

So when you get to 2023, it appears bringing the GES into compliance is not required...through language in article 690
 
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