Current flow in the water pipe

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I've often wondered, since this is such a common problem and serious hazard, I'm surprised ALL plumbers aren't trained to use a jumper wire??

Maybe not using a jumper wire for a plumber is like an electrician changing a switch out hot.....

I'm wondering why they don't leave the piping completely out of the electrical system. Seems stupid.

Get the ground from rods, ufer, plates or something besides the piping system.

 

[Little Bill]

Can't get to page 2 of this thread

Can't get to page 2 of this thread

Anyone having trouble getting to page 2 of this thread? When I click on "go to first new post" it goes to the beginning or #1 post. I even clicked on page 2 and last post and still returns to post #1.

Edit: After I posted, it then went to the 2nd page, and there was already 1 post there. Very strange!

 

[kwired]

I had a whole house inspector put in his report that the second floor receptacles were grounded to a cold water copper line and that was not to code. I like to prove whole house inspector wrong so I searched for about 3 hours for anything about this in the NEC. I was hoping somebody else found it.

I'm pretty sure that once was an acceptable way of getting a ground to something that was once ungrounded. I think it was about 1990 or 1993 NEC that no longer permitted this.

I'm wondering why they don't leave the piping completely out of the electrical system. Seems stupid.

Get the ground from rods, ufer, plates or something besides the piping system.

I think that would create more problems than is solves. Why do we need equipotential grounding grids in certain places? Because conductive objects in contact with earth are the point where voltage potential between "earthed" objects and the grounded/grounding conductors of the electrical system will be at dangerous levels at times. Bonding them all together ensures they are all at same potential.

You will still have potential to the piping - especially if a portion of the piping us buried in the earth. Makes more sense to insure it is bonded to electrical system rather than allow it to introduce voltage potential.

Would make more sense to stop using grounded conductors as current carrying conductors, then you have no voltage drop on the current carrying portions that will result in a voltage between a current carrying conductor and a non current carrying object.

Anyone having trouble getting to page 2 of this thread? When I click on "go to first new post" it goes to the beginning or #1 post. I even clicked on page 2 and last post and still returns to post #1.

Edit: After I posted, it then went to the 2nd page, and there was already 1 post there. Very strange!

I did not have trouble with this thread but have occasionally the past few weeks had similar problems from time to time. Always brings me to post#1 and will not let me go to any other page in that particular thread when it does happen.

 

[ggunn]

This occured to me. I thought if I disconnect the grounding conductor at the neutral buss to check for voltage, I'd blow more appliances. I called Edison today, we'll see what they say.
Thanks Mike

I think you will. If you float the neutral the system becomes a voltage divider with the voltage to ground on the neutral depending on the relative loading on the two legs. The more lightly loaded leg will show a higher voltage to neutral than the other, and it can be a lot more. As appliances on the high voltage leg begin to smoke and fall off line the voltage on that leg goes up, putting more stress on what's still there. Breakers might not trip because the current may not go up even though the power dissipation does. You could burn the house down.

I'd say don't do it.