Ground cable run in power conduit

[Electriman]

Greetings,

I working on a project that has several outdoor lighting poles. Since the lighting poles need to be grounded can I run ground cable from ground electrode near service disconnect inside the conduit that I am using to run the power cable or do they have to be different conduits?

 

[ActionDave]

Light poles are particular kind of animal that needs special consideration. The first thing to sort out is are you talking about grounding meaning a physical connection to the earth or grounding meaning an equipment grounding conductor that will carry fault current and trip a breaker or blow a fuse as fast as possible.

Light poles are about as physically connected to the earth as can be and still there are specs written to drive a ground rod at every one of them. Stupid spec, yes. Safer, no.

Equipment grounding conductors, a low impedance path that will clear are fault, are what's most important. Is that what you are asking about?

 

[infinity]

Dave brings up a good point saying that you want to run a "ground cable" is pretty vague in trying to determine what exactly you're trying to accomplish. If it's merely an auxiliary grounding electrode (which it sounds like) the requirements are pretty lenient.

 

[Electriman]

Light poles are particular kind of animal that needs special consideration. The first thing to sort out is are you talking about grounding meaning a physical connection to the earth or grounding meaning an equipment grounding conductor that will carry fault current and trip a breaker or blow a fuse as fast as possible.

Light poles are about as physically connected to the earth as can be and still there are specs written to drive a ground rod at every one of them. Stupid spec, yes. Safer, no.

Equipment grounding conductors, a low impedance path that will clear are fault, are what's most important. Is that what you are asking about?

I meant the physical connection between earth and rebars in the foundations as well as the steel structure of the light pole. I understand that I can ground it using a ground rod at the location of the light pole. But I still need to connect all ground rods of the project together using a THW ground cable.

 

[ActionDave]

I meant the physical connection between earth and rebars in the foundations as well as the steel structure of the light pole.....

There is no better connection to the earth than a steel reinforced concrete light pole base buried in the dirt unless you double dig it out and backfill with magnesium sulfate.

As far as the steel structure of the light pole, the most important thing it needs is a proper equipment grounding conductor.

 

[tom baker]

Just to clarify ground is no defined NEC term and means nothing... leads to confusion
You probably mean the EGC
And as pointed out, the rebar is as good an ground connection if not better than a ground rod. I have a study that shows that.