Brian Sweet
Member
- Location
- Fort Plain, New York, USA
What potential problems could arise if the grounding electrode conductor is larger than the grounded conductor of a typical residential service?
Grounded conductor
- Thread starter Brian Sweet
- Start date
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mjf
Senior Member
Wasted money on materials.
Brian Sweet
Member
- Location
- Fort Plain, New York, USA
I was thinking more like it would become the path of least resistance for potential fault current.
jumper
Senior Member
- Location
- 3 Hr 2 Min from Winged Horses
If the GEC is sized correctly then the grounded conductor is too small.
The smallest a service grounded conductor can be is the same size as the GEC.
250.24(C)(1).
T250.66 and T250.102(C)(1) are identical except for the last entry where a GEC maxs out in size but a grounded conductor doesn't.
The smallest a service grounded conductor can be is the same size as the GEC.
250.24(C)(1).
T250.66 and T250.102(C)(1) are identical except for the last entry where a GEC maxs out in size but a grounded conductor doesn't.
jumper
Senior Member
- Location
- 3 Hr 2 Min from Winged Horses
Nope. Please reread 250.4(A)(1)-(5).
hbiss
EC, New York NEC: 2017
- Location
- Little Falls, New York NEC: 2017
- Occupation
- EC
Wishful thinking. Consider that the ground rods are incapable of handling much current by virtue of their high resistance to ground. No way would they clear a fault.
-Hal
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
How are you going to jam more electrons into the dirt, no matter how big the wire is, than you are back to the POCO transformer through a properly sized neutral.
jumper
Senior Member
- Location
- 3 Hr 2 Min from Winged Horses
You're gonna give the dirt worshippers an inferiority complex if you keep picking on them.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
None, aside from what mjf stated.
ggunn
PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Occupation
- Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
As long as the grounded conductor is sized correctly, none. You'll never get into trouble with anyone besides whoever is paying for the wire for using conductors that are larger than what is required.
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