Grounding electrode

[guschash]

How close to the main electrical panel does metal water pipe electrode have to be in order that it can be used as used as aground. If the panel is 20ft from the water meter intake can it still be used has a ground? In Atricle 250.66(C) it says 5ft. So I'm thinking that 20 ft is to far away to be used.

 

[retirede]

It says you must make the connection to the piping system no more than 5’ from where it enters the building. That point can be 20’ (or even more) from where it connects to the service equipment.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I agree with retirede. Distance to the water pipe doesn't matter but the connection must be within 5' of where it enters the building. Of course, the closer the grounding electrode conductor is to the water pipe the better.

 

[petersonra]

Of course, the closer the grounding electrode conductor is to the water pipe the better.

Only because it costs less to get the gec to the water pipe.

 

[jaggedben]

The water pipe can be on the other side of the earth if the building also stretches that far. 250.50 requires that it still be used.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Only because it costs less to get the gec to the water pipe.

Do you think that 100' of a grounding electrode conductor is as good as a 10' grounding electrode conductor when a surge or strike occurs?

 

[roger]

Do you think that 100' of a grounding electrode conductor is as good as a 10' grounding electrode conductor when a surge or strike occurs?

The way I look at it is if it is a buried GEC it is just an extension of the GE. A long buried conductor will be adding some value to the GES. If you could use nothing else but a copper conductor for the GE the longer it is the better it is.

 

[petersonra]

Do you think that 100' of a grounding electrode conductor is as good as a 10' grounding electrode conductor when a surge or strike occurs?

I don't think it makes any difference.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

The way I look at it is if it is a buried GEC it is just an extension of the GE. A long buried conductor will be adding some value to the GES. If you could use nothing else but a copper conductor for the GE the longer it is the better it is.

You are talking a different animal. The original poster is talking about connection to a water pipe. I assume the grounding electrode conductor is being run thru a building not as being a lengthy electrode.

 

[roger]

You are talking a different animal. The original poster is talking about connection to a water pipe. I assume the grounding electrode conductor is being run thru a building not as being a lengthy electrode.

Could be which is the reason I did say buried.

 

[kwired]

Do you think that 100' of a grounding electrode conductor is as good as a 10' grounding electrode conductor when a surge or strike occurs?

Likely not, NEC wording doesn't really give us any choice on what we can do though, if the water pipe electrode exists we are supposed to connect to it.