eplmisme
Member
- Location
- bellevue wa
- Occupation
- signal electrical inspector
I know that this question was asked in the past, but since newer versions of the code have come out since and no additional clarification has been added to the code, I wanted to restart this conversation.
My question is about the required 20 feet of length that the #4 copper or rebar needs to be. Previous discussions focused more on the rebar and not the copper though I think both questions would be answered with the same clarification in future code.
I am a city electrical inspector but only work with our signalization and street lighting. As per our city specs the foundations for our service cabinets call out a Concrete Encased Electrode to be used with 20 feet of #4 copper. This meets the code as it is written now, but the issue that I have with it are our foundations are only 59inch by 71inch. The majority of the foundation is only a 4-inch-thick housekeeping pad. The actual foundation is 16inch thick by 36inch by 36inch. Our "tiny service" locations are half that size. In these services the ground wire is more or less just a 20-foot coil and seems just as effective as 8 feet of copper, do to most of the coper laying against itself. With the lack of a defined 20 "linear" feet of electrode the city engineers are unwilling to change this in or spec.
Has there been any other jurisdictions or local specs that call out this issue and make corrections as an interim fix till the code make clarification?
My question is about the required 20 feet of length that the #4 copper or rebar needs to be. Previous discussions focused more on the rebar and not the copper though I think both questions would be answered with the same clarification in future code.
I am a city electrical inspector but only work with our signalization and street lighting. As per our city specs the foundations for our service cabinets call out a Concrete Encased Electrode to be used with 20 feet of #4 copper. This meets the code as it is written now, but the issue that I have with it are our foundations are only 59inch by 71inch. The majority of the foundation is only a 4-inch-thick housekeeping pad. The actual foundation is 16inch thick by 36inch by 36inch. Our "tiny service" locations are half that size. In these services the ground wire is more or less just a 20-foot coil and seems just as effective as 8 feet of copper, do to most of the coper laying against itself. With the lack of a defined 20 "linear" feet of electrode the city engineers are unwilling to change this in or spec.
Has there been any other jurisdictions or local specs that call out this issue and make corrections as an interim fix till the code make clarification?
