grounding of service

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boboelectric

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Why does'nt everyone agree to head off surges ect. at the meter socket instead of the main panel?Why bring surges, lightning hits further into the structure than is necessary?I mean bond neutral at meter socket.
Bob O.84,Pa.
 
I have never seen any meter socket that was not bonded.

If you mean why don't we all tie in the GEC at the meter that can be locked at as a violation of 'accessible' or may just be against the local power companies rules.
 
I don't know, to make this connection in the meter is the most logical, but for some reason some ill informed people want it to be made elsewhere.

I have heard some say that inside the meter can is not accessible, but why is the other three or four connections ( ungrounded and grounded conductors) not a concern. :rolleyes:

Pure Stupidity is the bottom line to requiring this matter of factly in the first means of disconnect.

Roger
 
We may be talking bonding of two different things, the GEC and neutral.
The GEC can be bonded between the service point and service disconnect. Most often its done in the service disconnect, sometimes in the meter socket.
The neutral is always bonded in the service and the meter socket. Remember a meter is not required by the NEC. In washington state we can't bond the GEC in the meter socket as after its sealed it is no longer accessible. You have to disconnect the GEC when thawing frozen pipes

And personally I feel the best installation has the GEC bonded in the meter socket, why have lightning come into the house and back out on the GEC.
However, I have never seen a meter socket that would allow bonding the GEC in it.
 
tom baker said:
However, I have never seen a meter socket that would allow bonding the GEC in it.
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Our meter bases will allow landing the GEC; the AHJ and/or the POCO won't. I wish they would; it's the ideal place. After all, it's already outside.
 
In residential conditions where the panelboard has appreciable raceway length into the structure, AHJ's want the GEC at the main disconnect as I have experienced in the past. Lightning finds its course unpredictably on a direct hit regardless of whether the single point ground is located inside or outside of the structure. A greater impedance differential between the meter and the panelboard GEC bond distances can make for questionable unknown results. JMHO rbj, Seattle
 
gndrod said:
In residential conditions where the panelboard has appreciable raceway length into the structure, AHJ's want the GEC at the main disconnect as I have experienced in the past. Lightning finds its course unpredictably on a direct hit regardless of whether the single point ground is located inside or outside of the structure. A greater impedance differential between the meter and the panelboard GEC bond distances can make for questionable unknown results. JMHO rbj, Seattle
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I think you misunderstood. Please forgive me if I'm incorrect.

If there is "appreciable raceway length into the structure," the main disconnect will be outside or just inside the structure anyway. That's always where the various GEC's should land. No argument there.

We're wishing we could use an often-very-convenient connection less inside the structure, not more inside it. Our POCO-supplied meter bases come equipped with smaller lugs on the neutral bus.
 
georgestolz said:
Well, they could change the requirement that the disconnecting means is outside, period. Problem solved. ;)
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Yeah, and if we could land the rod GEC at the meter, and the water-pipe ground at the panel, we could save copper.
 
Larry, I have done that exact installation many times when I was wiring houses, we would go to the water heater from the panel to bond the water and the GEC was in the meter, this is pretty common in the Southeast.

Roger
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
Why can't that be done?
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The image that first comes to mind for me, is: That panel is downstream of the main disconnecting means. If that were true, it would be illegal. But I don't see (physically) why that can't be done, IMO.
 
Our utility requires that the grounding electrode conductor from the ground rod be connected in the meter can. The grounding electrode conductors from the other electrodes are connected at the service equipment.
Don
 
I came across this thread looking for something else. Figured I'd throw it in here. Doesn't add much, but I said to myself "I've seen this same discussion in the last day or so..." so there it is.

My question remains unanswered: what if the service disconnecting means was outside? What problems could arise at connecting the water pipe electrode at a subpanel?

Bearing in mind that this is illegal. I'm not advocating it, just thinking out loud.
 
georgestolz said:
what if the service disconnecting means was outside? What problems could arise at connecting the water pipe electrode at a subpanel?
Click to expand...

I can't answer that anymore than I can figure out why I can't use one conductor as the EGC and GEC back to the service for an SDS in a wood building.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
LarryFine said:
Yeah, and if we could land the rod GEC at the meter, and the water-pipe ground at the panel, we could save copper.
Click to expand...
Why can't that be done?
Click to expand...

Because we're not only not required to, we're not allowed to. Everything lands in the main disconnect enclosure.
 
gnding of service

gnding of service

We're on the same page Larry and I agree with George too. That could be a 2011 proposal George. :) In earlier resi the boss went with Meter Main combo's with Ufer which covered any question of outside and accessible at the disconnect. Ahem...Nice Zinsco's.Talk about fire works, Happy 4th 2 u all.
rbj, Seattle
 
I have two power companies I deal with in VT, one requires the gec connection in the socket the other I have the option. I prefer it in the main disconnect, If I use a meter main outside say on the side of a garage then I have to run the water gec or water pipe bond through the garage to the main disconnect along with the ground rods. I guess I don't have a choice on the meter main since it' is code.
 
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