ground rod location ?

[stickboy1375]

i did screw that up . im trying to see if i have to move the ground rods or just run the gec to the meter/breaker

IMO, the ground rods are fine, but you just cannot land the GEC in the sub-panel, so it really makes no sense to put them in the basement, unless of course you already put them in... :grin:

 

[SiddMartin]

I cant give you a code reference, but I think they are "supposed" to be located beyond the overhang of the building so they are in soil that will be more likely to become damp.

never heard that, but will keep that in mind. I had an inspector tell me once that if you increase the 2nd grod to 10-15' away from the first it gives you 40% better ground. Don't know an EC willin to pay for the cu if its not nec req. though

 

[rustyryan34]

Is that true? I thought the resistence of the ground was at its most at 6 feet? So that having your rods 6 feet apart would give it a 3 foot circle of open ground around it, do you keep you ground rods tight to the building or do you put them out 3 foot?

 

[crossman]

On the "below permanent moisture level" issue. A ground rod driven through the basement floor is going to be literally further below the moisture level than a rod driven out in the yard, regardless of how dry the dirt is under the basement slab.

Notice it says "below the moisture level", not "in the moisture level".

 

[infinity]

On the "below permanent moisture level" issue. A ground rod driven through the basement floor is going to be literally further below the moisture level than a rod driven out in the yard, regardless of how dry the dirt is under the basement slab.

Notice it says "below the moisture level", not "in the moisture level".

I agree. I dug a hole in my basement for a sewer ejector pit and it filled up with water in about 15 hours. A hole a ground level might never fill up without a rain storm.

 

[steelersman]

maybe because for most homes anyway the main disconnect is inside the main panel (main breaker). I've personally never driven them inside the basement but that's not such a bad idea in my opinion. They would be out of the weather.

 

[steelersman]

every house I've been a part of wiring has the gec landed right in the loadcenter since that is where the main disconnect is. The only time I have ever seen a main disconnect switch on the outside seperate from the load center is if the SEC is not located within 5 feet inside the home from the meter and I've never seen that on any new homes.

 

[quogueelectric]

I wouldnt want to be your insurance co when you drill the hole to drive the ground rod and the basement fills up with 3ft of groundwater. By me the groundwater is so high that if you drain an inground pool they often pop out of the ground like a boat.

 

[electricalperson]

I wouldnt want to be your insurance co when you drill the hole to drive the ground rod and the basement fills up with 3ft of groundwater. By me the groundwater is so high that if you drain an inground pool they often pop out of the ground like a boat.

drilling through basement floors doesnt seem like a good idea to me either. i install all my ground rods outside. couple services we didnt even need ground rods due to the copper waterline coming in.

 

[iwire]

I wouldnt want to be your insurance co when you drill the hole to drive the ground rod and the basement fills up with 3ft of groundwater.

If the water level is 3' above the basement floor it will already be letting water in, a new hole is not going to change things. The slab floor is not water tight to the walls.

By me the groundwater is so high that if you drain an in ground pool they often pop out of the ground like a boat.

I agree and by the same method if the water level was above the basement slab and the slab was water tight to the foundation then the slab would likely lift in the middle and crack, water pressure is relentless.

 

[stickboy1375]

I wouldnt want to be your insurance co when you drill the hole to drive the ground rod and the basement fills up with 3ft of groundwater. By me the groundwater is so high that if you drain an inground pool they often pop out of the ground like a boat.

Ever hear of Hydrostatic Pressure? A drilled hole is nothing.

 

[stickboy1375]

couple services we didnt even need ground rods due to the copper waterline coming in.

Might want to take a look at 250.53 (D)(2)

 

[brian john]

Ever hear of Hydrostatic Pressure? A drilled hole is nothing.

Yes it cracked the floor in my last house and during bouts of heavy rain water would shoot up 3" like a fountain from points in the crack.

 

[stickboy1375]

Yes it cracked the floor in my last house and during bouts of heavy rain water would shoot up 3" like a fountain from points in the crack.

Proper drainage and clean gutters is the only solution... :grin:

 

[brian john]

THe city cam by and installed sidewalks, turning my yard into a swimming pool. I did loads of work to overcome this, including tons of dirt, grading, downspouts to the street (core drilled the curb), sump pumps. BUT when it rained hard the sewer would add to the situation and back up.

 

[steelersman]

drilling through basement floors doesnt seem like a good idea to me either. i install all my ground rods outside. couple services we didnt even need ground rods due to the copper waterline coming in.

what did you use for your secondary ground then?

 

[electricalperson]

what did you use for your secondary ground then?

the CEE .

 

[steelersman]

the CEE .

and what is a CEE?

 

[stickboy1375]

and what is a CEE?

Concrete Encased Electrode

250.52(3)

 

[JohnJ0906]

and what is a CEE?

There is a list of abreviations here.

And CEE isn't on there.... Hey, George!