I would like your thoughts on this. In my area, most all of the electrical contractors bond to the cold water at the water heater. I wonder if this is code compliant? Also when we bond to the cold water anywhere, what is to prevent hot water pipes from becomming energized? Most water heaters don't provide continuity from hot to cold pipes. If we did bond at the water heater cold pipe and carried that un spliced wire directly to the hot side and bonded it there as well, would that provide an effective ground to both sides and be code compliant.
Cold Water Grounding
- Thread starter wade1
- Start date
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ryan_618
Senior Member
- Location
- Salt Lake City, Utah
Re: Cold Water Grounding
Hi Wade. Is the bonding you are refering to the connection to the water pipe grounding electrode discussed in 250.52? If so, it needs to be connected within 5' of the entrance to the building. If this is not the bonding you are refering to, than you must be speaking of 250.104(A). If that is the case, the bonding may occur anywhere. notice that in 250.104(A) it does not discuss "cold" or "hot" water lines, just water lines. With that in mind, if there is no continuity the bonding must occur on each water pipe system. Remeber to size this bonding jumper as though it were a grounding electrode conductor, using table 250.66.
Hi Wade. Is the bonding you are refering to the connection to the water pipe grounding electrode discussed in 250.52? If so, it needs to be connected within 5' of the entrance to the building. If this is not the bonding you are refering to, than you must be speaking of 250.104(A). If that is the case, the bonding may occur anywhere. notice that in 250.104(A) it does not discuss "cold" or "hot" water lines, just water lines. With that in mind, if there is no continuity the bonding must occur on each water pipe system. Remeber to size this bonding jumper as though it were a grounding electrode conductor, using table 250.66.
jxofaltrds
Inspector Mike®
- Location
- Mike P. Columbus Ohio
- Occupation
- ESI, PI, RBO
Re: Cold Water Grounding
Wade
Bond as you described in your post. The hot-cold bond can be a seperate wire. I do it both ways.
In areas that have softeners, and filters, and well water for outside use that seperates before the softener need to be addressed also.
By reading your post I think you understand.
Mike P.
Wade
Bond as you described in your post. The hot-cold bond can be a seperate wire. I do it both ways.
In areas that have softeners, and filters, and well water for outside use that seperates before the softener need to be addressed also.
By reading your post I think you understand.
Mike P.
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
Re: Cold Water Grounding
Ditto to what was already said but I'll add one thing. Most mixing valves at the tub/shower locations will cause a bond accross the hot and cold pipes. As for other pipes like gas the EGC provided with the circuit feeding like the furance or in the case of electric HW heater would bond the gase pipe so no other bonds will be needed there. the same goes for propane too.
Ditto to what was already said but I'll add one thing. Most mixing valves at the tub/shower locations will cause a bond accross the hot and cold pipes. As for other pipes like gas the EGC provided with the circuit feeding like the furance or in the case of electric HW heater would bond the gase pipe so no other bonds will be needed there. the same goes for propane too.
Re: Cold Water Grounding
So you can't use this method as part of the grounding electrode system unless within 5' of entering the building? What are some of your methods of connecting to the water pipe system? Say on a new house where most of the plumbing is in the slab and the water enters the building on the opposite end of the house as the electric service. Do you get to the job before the concrete and put it in the slab or wait and run it around the house in the ground or up over and out the wall and into the ground. Sorry guys this has me a little confused. Does everyone ground to the water line? Or just use the 2 ground rods and go home.
So you can't use this method as part of the grounding electrode system unless within 5' of entering the building? What are some of your methods of connecting to the water pipe system? Say on a new house where most of the plumbing is in the slab and the water enters the building on the opposite end of the house as the electric service. Do you get to the job before the concrete and put it in the slab or wait and run it around the house in the ground or up over and out the wall and into the ground. Sorry guys this has me a little confused. Does everyone ground to the water line? Or just use the 2 ground rods and go home.
stamcon
Senior Member
- Location
- South San Francisco CA
Re: Cold Water Grounding
Wade, if there is a metallic water pipe with at least 10' of it in contact with the ground, it shall be used as part of the Grounding Electrode System. The connection to the pipe should be accessible, but there is an exemption under 250-68(a). It might be a bit of an arguement with an inspector, if the connection to the water pipe can't remain accessible. I would wait until the water piping was roughed in before installing the water pipe bond. Where I work, the hot, cold and gas are bonded together at the heater. This is in addition to the "within 5' bonding".
Wade, if there is a metallic water pipe with at least 10' of it in contact with the ground, it shall be used as part of the Grounding Electrode System. The connection to the pipe should be accessible, but there is an exemption under 250-68(a). It might be a bit of an arguement with an inspector, if the connection to the water pipe can't remain accessible. I would wait until the water piping was roughed in before installing the water pipe bond. Where I work, the hot, cold and gas are bonded together at the heater. This is in addition to the "within 5' bonding".
jxofaltrds
Inspector Mike®
- Location
- Mike P. Columbus Ohio
- Occupation
- ESI, PI, RBO
Re: Cold Water Grounding
Wade
Wait a minute. Stop and read 250.52 then read 250.104. After reading these articles come back and ask us your new questions.
I feel if you do not read these first we will continue to confuse you making the reading even harder.
Mike P.
Wade
Wait a minute. Stop and read 250.52 then read 250.104. After reading these articles come back and ask us your new questions.
I feel if you do not read these first we will continue to confuse you making the reading even harder.
Mike P.
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