Grounding/Bonding of pole bases

[Tuffy99]

Is there a reference or a requirement for the installation of a ground rod at each pole base. What I am refering to when I mention pole base is a concrete pole base which supports a 20' to 30' metal pole. The luminaire is then mounted at the top of the metal pole.
The circuit has an equipment ground. I have seen pole base details which indicate a ground rod at each pole base. Then a bonding conductor is attached to the metal pole & the rebar within the pole base.

Is there an code reference for the requirement of the ground rod?

 

[rcarroll]

There is no code requirement for ground rods, bare copper looped at the bottom of the caison, or bare copper attached to the rebar in the pole base. This is an engineer's spec.

 

[480sparky]

Here's some previous threads on the subject:

Thread 1

Thread 2

Thread 3

Thread 4

Thread 5

Thread 6

Thread 7

Thread 8

Ad Infinitum, Ad Nauseum. :smile:

 

[raider1]

Is there an code reference for the requirement of the ground rod?

There is a code reference that exempts pole lights that are fed with a single circuit from needing a grounding electrode. Take a look at 250.32(A) Exception.

Exception: A grounding electrode shall not be required where only a single branch circuit, including a multiwire branch circuit, supplies the building or structure and the branch circuit includes an equipment grounding conductor for grounding the normally non?current-carrying metal parts of equipment.

As was mentioned earlier, sometimes engineers will spec out a grounding electrode to be installed at a light pole, even when the pole is only fed with a single circuit.

Chris