Grounding Electrode or Equipment Grounding Conductor

[GSXR600]

Good Morning Guys,
I have a project where we are setting a service on the utility company trough. This trough is fed from a bolted pressure switch where the neutral and ground are bonded. The utility company does not allow a ground in there trough so we will have to tap on to the building steel to get aduquate grounding or split bolt to the grounding electrode coming out of the bolted pressure switch. my question is, is should this be sized per 250.122 pr 250.66 and where is this senario mentioned in article 250. my optinion is that it is a EG conductor.

Thanks,

 

[petersonra]

my opinion is that if you are connecting to a grounding electrode or a GEC it is a GEC.

my other thought is that you still need a GE at your side and can't use the GE the utility is using.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Sounds like a grounding electrode conductor so 250.66 applies

 

[GSXR600]

I agree with you guys. Is this senario listed in the code any place? I am not sure why I need a GEC at my service tho. If the wireway was bonded correctly i should be able to bond onto that not great practice or if there was a GEC pulled in the wireway i would just tap that. So i am not sure why you feel this would be a GEC conduct can someone please help me understand.

 

[Smart $]

Simple answer: if you are setting a service, GES and service Bonding rules apply on the line side of and at the service disconnect (i.e. sized per 250.66). EGC's only exist on the load side of the service disconnect.

 

[GSXR600]

I dont agree. If this was not a utility company trough the EG would be ran in the wireway and it would be tapped. The GEC is ran in the disconnect feeding the wireway and GEC and neutral are bonded there. There shouldnt be a need for any additional bonding of the neutral or GEC. your thoughts?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

It appears that the bolted pressure switch is the service disconnect and the main bonding jumper is installed at that point. There must be an EGC run from that point the rest of the electrical system.

 

[Smart $]

It appears that the bolted pressure switch is the service disconnect and the main bonding jumper is installed at that point. There must be an EGC run from that point the rest of the electrical system.

The bolted-pressure switch by itself does not constitute a service disconnect unless it has integral or immediately adjacent ocpd. Additionally, it cannot be under the sole control of the POCO.

 

[Smart $]

I dont agree. If this was not a utility company trough the EG would be ran in the wireway and it would be tapped. The GEC is ran in the disconnect feeding the wireway and GEC and neutral are bonded there. There shouldnt be a need for any additional bonding of the neutral or GEC. your thoughts?

If this trough is POCO owned and controlled, it is quite likely that the service point is load-side of any conductor in the trough. IMO, any grounding on the line (POCO) side of the service point is moot regarding NEC compliance.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

The bolted-pressure switch by itself does not constitute a service disconnect unless it has integral or immediately adjacent ocpd. Additionally, it cannot be under the sole control of the POCO.

That is all correct, but it is my opinion, that it would be a rare case where a bolted pressure swicth would be used as a cold sequence meter disconnect switch, so I will continue to assume that the switch is the sevice disconnect until the OP tells me otherwise.

 

[Smart $]

That is all correct, but it is my opinion, that it would be a rare case where a bolted pressure swicth would be used as a cold sequence meter disconnect switch, so I will continue to assume that the switch is the sevice disconnect until the OP tells me otherwise.

IMO it would be a rare case where there would be a service disconnect on the line side of something owned by the POCO (other than metering equipment).

 

[GSXR600]

Yes the bolted pressure switch is the service disconnect an yes it does control the trough that is ran by the utility company very common practice is just about any commercial building I have evn been in with multiple tenants.

 

[Smart $]

...we are setting a service on the utility company trough...

Yes the bolted pressure switch is the service disconnect.

These two statements are contradictory.

 

[augie47]

250.24 states the Grounding Electrode connection must be made at the Service Disconnect grounded buss or ahead of that point.
To me the key is deciding where the service disconnect is located. Your original post is unusual to most of us as POCO normally would have nothing to do with wiring beyond a service disconnect.
If the switch in question is under their control and especially if it has no integral over-current protection I would not consider it a service disconnect and your could install GECs to your actual service disconnect(s) downstream of that "POCO cold sequence switch" (odd as it might be for that use).
If it is determined that the switch in question is the service disconnect then 250.24 requires your GEC connect there (or ahead of it)