Fishing the GEC

[monkey]

Situation:Older residence with water service in street (front) and electrical service in back. Small attic space inaccessable to humans but possible to fish cables thru by removing freezeboards. Instead of stapling a quarter mile of GEC all the way around the house is there any problem with fishing it thru this attic space to the front to catch the first five feet of water pipe? Of course it would be unsecured up there. We're still on 99 code and I couldn't find anything prohibiting it.
Brian

 

[bennie]

Re: Fishing the GEC

Change the water service to PVC and drive two ground rods.

 

[curt swartz]

Re: Fishing the GEC

Bennie,

I have had General Contractors choose to do just that. Many times the service panel is located on the opposite side of the dwelling from the water service so if the installation of the grounding electrode conductor will cause substantial damage to the structure its more cost effective for them to change the water service. These water services are usually old galvanized lines that will need to be changed in the near future anyway.

 

[rrrusty]

Re: Fishing the GEC

300-4.(2)(d) Exception 2 99 NEC gives refrence to fishing

 

[bill addiss]

Re: Fishing the GEC

Brian,

I see it being done all the time, and never heard of any objections.

Bill

 

[electricmanscott]

Re: Fishing the GEC

No reason not to fish it that I know of. I do it all the time in finshed basements.

 

[sparkmantoo]

Re: Fishing the GEC

if you change the water service to pvc, aren't you still supposed to bond the metal water piping inside the house anyway? but i would still drive 2 ground rods. just a thought.

 

[curt swartz]

Re: Fishing the GEC

sparkmantoo

You are still required to bond the interior metal water piping but this connection can be made at any convenient accessible location. 250.104(A)

 

[sparkmantoo]

Re: Fishing the GEC

really. like it never occured to me. :roll:

 

[russ]

Re: Fishing the GEC

Armored ground is made for this application. It is commonly used in my area.

http://www.afcweb.com/pdfs/01catalog/01cat-p35-ba.pdf

 

[luke warmwater]

Re: Fishing the GEC

Russ, do you use the proper water line clamp for the armored ground??

 

[russ]

Re: Fishing the GEC

There are pipe clamps available that can accept the armor or a take-all connector. I don't have the brand name of the most common one used around me, but it comes with threaded hub for a connector, and a water pipe clamp, with a strip of copper strap joining the two. The ones showen in this link would work.


http://www.nsipolaris.com/products/pdf2001/j3.pdf