Robert Belusko
Member
Purpose for bonding cold water pipe to hot water pipe on a water heater. What section of the code warrants this?
It is not required.
Not in the code book.
They are bonded through the water heater itself. The metal tank.
They are grounded through the circuits equipment ground.
Water Heaters and Bonding
Bonding jumpers are required for water heaters in accordance with the 2002 edition of the National Electrical Code, Section 250.104, entitled ?Bonding of Piping Systems and Exposed Structural Steel.? Section 250.104(B), ?Other Metal Piping,? states that ?metal piping systems that may become energized shall be bonded to the service equipment enclosure, the grounded conductor at the service, the grounding electrode conductor where of sufficient size, or to the one or more grounding electrodes used.?
The bonding jumper shall be sized in accordance with Section 250.122, ?Size of Equipment Grounding Conductors,? using the rating of the circuit that may energize the piping system. The equipment grounding conductor for the circuit is to be allowed to serve as the bonding means.
The points of attachment of the bonding jumper must be accessible.
If, at the time of replacement, an existing water heater has no bonding jumper but has an equipment grounding conductor present, then no bonding jumper would be required to be installed because the equipment grounding conductor is allowed to serve as the bonding means.
However, if there is no bonding jumper or equipment grounding conductor present at the time of replacement, particularly with gas water heaters, then a bonding jumper must be installed and an electrical permit is required.
If you have any questions on this matter, you may reach me at:
(609) 984-7609.
Source: Suzanne Borek
Code Assistance Unit
Who?s Got the Bonding Jumper?
The December 19, 2005 New Jersey Register, at 37 NJR 4907, contained an adoption making the inspection of the bonding jumper for the replacement of only gas water heaters the responsibility of the plumbing inspector.
This is no longer the electrical inspector?s responsibility!
The plumbing inspector will now inspect for the bonding jumper on gas water heater replacements only.
The bonding jumper does not require an electrical permit and is to be included on the Plumbing Subcode Technical Section with the gas water heater replacement fee. The plumbing inspector will check for the bonding jumper and sign off on the Plumbing Subcode Technical Section on the line for ?other,? inserting ?water heater bonding jumper.?
The bonding jumper, Section 250.104(B) of the 2002 National Electrical Code (NEC), is to be sized in accordance with Table 250.122 of the 2002 NEC using the rating of the circuit that may energize the piping system.
This means, if the water heater is in a structure that has a 200-AMP service with a 200-AMP main breaker, this is the rating of the circuit which could energize the piping system and then the size of the bonding jumper in Table 250.122 would be a 6-AWG copper, or 4-AWG aluminum or copper-clad aluminum, conductor.
The clamps installed on the water pipes must be approved and listed, as stated in Sections 250.70 and 110.3(B) in the 2002 NEC. The clamps may be of dissimilar metals, provided they are approved and listed for the use.
To sum it up . . .
Gas Water Heater Replacement:
♦ No electrical permit
♦ Plumbing Subcode technical fee includes the
bonding jumper
♦ Plumbing inspector signs off for the bonding
jumper on the ?other? line on the technical section
It is not required.
Not in the code book.
They are bonded through the water heater itself. The metal tank.
They are grounded through the circuits equipment ground.
At least they could have a graphic that is correct. The nipple between the meter enclosure and the panel only require bonding at one end not both.
:grin:If you have any questions on this matter, you may reach me at:
(609) 984-7609.
Source: Suzanne Borek
Code Assistance Unit
Purpose for bonding cold water pipe to hot water pipe on a water heater. What section of the code warrants this?