csst law suit, bonding gas at gas main

[mark henderson]

After 12,500 letters to building officals from csst Technical bulletin #tb2006-04. I have inspectors wanting a separate bond wire to the gas main. Some of these are finished homes, so the inspector said drive a groud rod? This is not a bond in my view. But AHJ wanted it so I did it. Now they want a letter say it is to NEC 250.104 b. Well it was before I drove the ground rod. Any help on this?

To clarrify BIG SCARE from previous post. Inspectors making us run a bond to the gas line. To reduce the risk of damage and fire from a lightining strike.

 

[charlie b]

Despite the title of this thread, the question does not appear to me to be an attempt to gain information to support one side or the other in a legal dispute. If the discussion starts heading that way, however, I will close this thread. Forum rules prohibit such discussions.

To avoid misunderstandings, I recommend that you edit your thread's title to remove the words "csst lawsuit." As an alternative, for the benefit of those of us who do not know what you mean by "after this big scare," you might consider a short explanation.

That being said, I fear that I cannot help you with your question. This is not my area of expertise. I hope someone else can clear this up for you.

 

[cpal]

I also am intrigued by the term "big scare"

please tell us more

 

[mark henderson]

mark henderson

mark henderson

Ok to elaberate on this a little. I dont remember having to run a bond to the main gas with the old rigid gas pipe. Now with the csst (corrugated stainless steel tubing) being installed the tech bulletin I mentioned is asking to run this bond and size it according to the amps of the main panel. Of course you have terms like LIKELY to become energized. I see this as by the point were the gas enters the appplaince and the circuit. Well with the fittings in the tubing is this not a non conductive material? So is it likely? How about now that we are bonding it?

 

[ronnie]

I don't know why you would need to ground the gas meter to the main panel. The NEC states that the gas pipe can not be used as the grounding electrode. If you were to install a ground wire to the gas meter from your main service and for some reason lost the grounding electrode your gas pipe would become your grounding electrode. If you are grounding the gas meter for lighting protection you may be correct in driving a ground rod just for the gas pipe. The gas pipe manufactor of the pipe wants it grounded for lighting. The NEC'S definition of grounded Connected to earth or to some conducting body that serves in place of the earth. It seems that a ground rod is correct

 

[iwire]

If you are grounding the gas meter for lighting protection you may be correct in driving a ground rod just for the gas pipe.

If a ground rod is driven for the gas line the NEC requires that it be connected to the rest of the electrodes for that building. 250.50 or 250.54

The NEC also requires gas lines to be bonded, however they allow the EGC of the equipment that may energize it to do the bonding 250.104(B)

 

[mark henderson]

The NEC also requires gas lines to be bonded, however they allow the EGC of the equipment that may energize it to do the bonding 250.104(B)

I am aware of the EGC being allowed to be used for the bond. But the manufactures specs for csst pipe ask for a separate bond for the gas main also. On a new construction home this is not a problem. But I have inspectors who got this letter and now want me to add this bond to the main on finished homes. If the gas and service are on the same side it is not a problem, but this is not allways the case. That is when the inspector said drive a ground rod. After doing so he now wants a letter from us the electricians stating we grounded and bonded according the NEC. Am I right to assume now that a ground rod has been added that it is NOT to the NEC?

 

[shockme77]

I'm not sure what the ground rods will do other than to comply with manufacturers specifications. The gas pipe is already bonded at the furnace/ boiler and code specifically says it has to be no larger than the largest ungrounded conductor. Like I said, what's the purpose of the ground rod?

 

[mark henderson]

I'm not sure what the ground rods will do other than to comply with manufacturers specifications. The gas pipe is already bonded at the furnace/ boiler and code specifically says it has to be no larger than the largest ungrounded conductor. Like I said, what's the purpose of the ground rod?

Well maufacturers specs are asking for a bond sized according to the service. Now the inspector said sense it is a finnished home drive a ground rod. How is this a bond? I dont think so.