Detached Meter Main Grounding and Bonding

[SteveO28]

Situation:
200Amp meter main detached from main house at a pole 50’ from the house. Meter main has ground rods only. Conduit from main to sub is rigid and used in lieu of a ground wire. Sub panel inside the house has the water bond brought to it rather than the detached meter main. A solar company not to be named is trying to say the whole service needs to be redone and their work will fail bc of this situation. The house was built in the 1970s or 80s. What are everyone’s thoughts? Same company tried charging almost 5k to move said sub panel 30” instead of suggesting taking down a piece of plywood for maintaining working clearance.

 

[infinity]

The sub-panel in a separate structure is required to be connected to a GES which in the 70's or 80's was the water pipe electrode so that is correct.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

What was the reason the solar company stated the service had to be redone?

 

[SteveO28]

The water bond not going back to the meter main on the pole and no ground in the conduit from meter main to panel in the house (used the rigid conduit as the ground) Plus the terminals on the meter they said looked corroded. I checked them and looked fine. Not sure why they are even opening this in the first place as they are just going to clamp on to the feed at the panel in the house. Plus they stated they needed to move the sub panel rather than suggest taking down a piece of plywood. They quoted almost 10k in total. I think they were trying to scam since the homeowner is a single woman. Little did they know her son is an electrician. But, I do commercial electrical and wanted to make sure I wasn’t incorrect before I had a conversation with the rep from the solar company.

 

[infinity]

The water bond not going back to the meter main on the pole and no ground in the conduit from meter main to panel in the house (used the rigid conduit as the ground)

Sounds like either a scam or someone who just doesn't know the code. RMC is a listed EGC so a wire type EGC in the feeder is not required. Also there is no requirement to run a GEC from an electrode in the separate structure all the way back to the service disconnect.

 

[Elect117]

The water bond not going back to the meter main on the pole and no ground in the conduit from meter main to panel in the house (used the rigid conduit as the ground) Plus the terminals on the meter they said looked corroded. I checked them and looked fine. Not sure why they are even opening this in the first place as they are just going to clamp on to the feed at the panel in the house. Plus they stated they needed to move the sub panel rather than suggest taking down a piece of plywood. They quoted almost 10k in total. I think they were trying to scam since the homeowner is a single woman. Little did they know her son is an electrician. But, I do commercial electrical and wanted to make sure I wasn’t incorrect before I had a conversation with the rep from the solar company.

I think it is worth the conversations.

I will say, that depending on where they plan on tapping into it and what their plans are for grounding. I would ask to see that as well.

Since the conductors entering the subpanel are being touched, a inspector might ask them to bond all electrodes present even though it is not necessary. The code reads that all available at the building or structure. But some inspectors misinterpret it.

 

[SteveO28]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the feedback. I’m glad we are on the same page.

 

[Electrical Geek]

When dealing with solar, the inspectors always want the bonding to be up to date. The majority of them, it seems, want the GEC brought to the first disconnecting means, even though it's 50' away.

 

[Eddie702]

I guess the question is "all available electrodes at the structure" to me there are 2 different structures. The meter main 50' from the house with ground rods and the water main in the house with the sub panel.

 

[infinity]

I guess the question is "all available electrodes at the structure" to me there are 2 different structures. The meter main 50' from the house with ground rods and the water main in the house with the sub panel.

I agree, 50' apart would make it two separate structures.

When dealing with solar, the inspectors always want the bonding to be up to date. The majority of them, it seems, want the GEC brought to the first disconnecting means, even though it's 50' away.

I'm curious, based on what code section? If the wiring method is direct burial cable do they expect you to dig it all up and add a GEC to the GES at another structure? The meter main already has it's own GES.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

There is some inaccurate info being given in this thread. A grounding electrode system is required at each building unless there is just a single circuit being run. All others need a grounding electrode conductor connected to the building grounding electrode system, not to the grounding electrode system at a different structure.

If ground rods are not installed then you could easily remedy that situation.

 

[electrofelon]

The majority of them, it seems, want the GEC brought to the first disconnecting means, even though it's 50' away.

They are wrong and need to be corrected ASAP