grounding house water pipe system

[jtkelsh]

As a home owner I just replaced my galvanized water pipe from the meter to my house with plastic pipe. The inspector says I need to ground the house piping system as required by the NEC.
What materials do I need to meet NEC requirement for grounding the galvanized pipe in the house?

Rod size and length
Wire size and length
clamp types, etc.

Thanks,

 

[roger]

Re: grounding house water pipe system

Jt, you are describing two different issues here. This will probably not make sense but will need to be answered.

Was you original galvanized water pipe the "GROUNDING ELECTRODE"? If it was you need to drive a rod to replace it and this can be a .625" 8' galvanized rod, around $4.00, with a #6 copper conductor and clamp.

If the water service just needs to be bonded, you would need to run a conductor sized per 250.104 which would probably be a #6 copper.

This would not be a very expensive fix to have an electrician do it.

Roger

 

[charlie]

Re: grounding house water pipe system

Roger, since this is not a multiple occupancy building, he must size his bonding jumper in accordance with 250.66. Since that would be dependant on his service size, #6 copper would be too small if he has over a 150 ampere service.

 

[jtkelsh]

Re: grounding house water pipe system

How about a 4 gauge stranded ground wire and an 8' 5/8" ground rod (copper clad) with clamps?
Does the ground rod have to be a certain distance from the house. My house is built on eight footings on stilts. I plan to drive the ground rod under the house.

Thanks,

 

[ryan_618]

Re: grounding house water pipe system

Charlie, I don't have my NEC here today, but I thought that only bonding on the line side of the service was required to be sized off of T250.66, as per 250.102. Interior bonding, I thought, was from 250.104 which leads you to 250.118. Once again, sorry I don't have my NEC here, and I normally don't post without it in front of me.

[ June 24, 2003, 12:21 PM: Message edited by: ryan_618 ]

 

[pierre]

Re: grounding house water pipe system

jtkelsh

you can drive the ground rod under the house, and you will only need a 6 awg conductor, anything larger is not necessary. You will most likely need to bond the water pipes in your house (if they are copper), and that conductor is based on the actual service entrance conductor size of your service. table 250 .66 will be the reference table.
But your best bet is to let a licensed electrician install this and you can go to work. You will probably make more money at work than it will cost the electrician to do this type of work, and you will have the comfort of knowing it is installed properely.

Pierre

 

[roger]

Re: grounding house water pipe system

Hello all. Charlie, 250.104(A)(1) is general information to bonding the "metal water piping" of a building or structure and takes you to table 250.66 whereas 250.104(A)(2) "Buildings of Multiple Occupancy" would take you to 250.122.

250.66(A) would not require the GEC to the rod to be larger than a #6.

Roger

[ June 24, 2003, 02:03 PM: Message edited by: roger ]