Grounding residential storage buildings

[Joe Vee]

Hi all,
I’ve been out of electrical construction now at least 12 years, so I’m a little unfamiliar with the code changes in residential grounding and services.
I was asked to look at and recommend changes to a home where the original owner added a storage building fed from the homes panel.
Built in 1994, 150 amp service, added 100 amp sub panel to storage building. Storage building has 2 ground rods, home service at meter, 1...
Meter and disconnect is falling off siding due to rotting. Feed from utility ties to SE cable with weather head on SE cable, enters attic, travels 30’ to meter, nippled to 150 amp disconnect, SE cable to 150 amp house panel.
I have seen some bad home wiring in my years, and this one however is pretty bad because prior owner was electrician...
The two ground rods at the storage building and the one ground rod at the home service is a question for me. Is it necessary at the storage building to have a ground rod?
My other question is, will I have to upgrade the service from the SE cable with no OCP and incorrect service riser going to the meter... I know it is not legal per code today, but is it grandfathered in under prior code so the owner is not really required to change it. I have to say everything looks in pretty good shape, except for the meter and disconnect hanging off the house but...
My recommendation was to do a complete new service change to get it up to code but he’s reluctant to spend the money if he doesn’t have to, no matter how unsafe and uncomfortable I am with it.
My other question is if I have to pull the meter to remount the old meter and disconnect, is the county going to require me to upgrade the service no matter what he wants... and I’m pretty sure 150 amp service is not allowed anymore 200 I think is the minimum , even though he has gas heating gas water heater and gas cooking.
I know this is a long multi faceted issue, but I would appreciate some input from someone because I’m not really in the business to do this anymore, but I’m doing it for a friend and I’m taking the lazy way out by using your brains instead of breaking mine...
Thank you for your help and input.

 

[Little Bill]

Grounding electrode system (GES) is required at both the main service at the house and any other structure not attached to the house. It can be ground rods but could be any of the other recognized electrodes.

I can't believe that both the POCO and AHJ would allow SE cable to enter an attic before it even hits the meter. At least (I believe you said) it hit a disconnect before the house panel. I can't say what your POCO would require as they are all different. But I know the inspectors here wouldn't allow the unfused conductors to enter the house without going to a disconnect first.

I would definitely suggest, at the least, to redo the service whether you upgrade to 200A or not. But 200A would likely not be much or any higher than 150A. Might even be cheaper as the 150A is not used much, at least here it isn't.
Also, the meter would be 200A regardless. I would just replace the meter, mast, and weatherhead. I would run the 200A rated wire whether he wants to change the panel or not. That way if in the future he needs 200A, all you would need to change is the panel.

 

[Buck Parrish]

You'll likely need to get the SE cable out of the attic. Install it on the outside of the house. You'll need two ground rods at the house, too 250.53-A (2) And an intersystem bonding system 250.94

 

[Joe Vee]

Hi Bill, thanks for the quick response... I agree with your assesment about the SE cable routed thru the attic... I've seen it on much old homes many years ago, however, checking adjacent homes in the sub-division, they all seem to have the same install, no mast from the meter, utility anchored to the front of the house closest too the pole, SE routed as described. AHJ is Paulding County, GA...
Ok... I remember now about unattached structures needing a GEC... but these are driven 3' only... sticking up about 4' above ground, will definately have to correct that. A question about the ground conductor in the cable running to the shed...( hopefull there is one ), it needs to be bonded as well...?? at the sub panel and the house panel?

 

[augie47]

Guessing the age of the install you may have only the grounded conductor (neutral) on your run to the out building as that was once allowed. Under present Code you would be required to have a separate equipment rounding conductor.
If you don't have a EGC at the outbuilding, treat the feeder like a service as far as bonding and grounding.

These situations are handled differently jurisdiction by jurisdiction. I would suggest you talk with your local AHJ and see what he requires. Often portions of older installs are grandfathered.

 

[Joe Vee]

You'll likely need to get the SE cable out of the attic. Install it on the outside of the house. You'll need two ground rods at the house, too 250.53-A (2) And an intersystem bonding system 250.94

Hi Buck,
Thanks for respondig and the 250.95 IBT... first thing I checked after my initial surprise about the service... telephone and TV cable techs tried to use the same achorn fitting to bond their equipment... so loose I could use my fingers to tighten it up some, then got the homeowner to let me use his tools to tighten it. I asked about any issue with electronics/appliances loss or problems, we've had quite a few storms this years. He said no issues which means he was very lucky...
I will have to call the AHJ as a homeowner to see how much they will force the service change... if they will allow the permit to extend so I can fix the issue for him in stages that he can afford, instead of one lump change which he really doesn't have the funds for. My idea is to keep him safe and not put him in the situation where he will ignore it and try to go it alone... I hate doing work like this for friends, ( well casual drinking buddies... ) who have no real electrical knowledge and look at me like I'm speaking in Martian and using them as a personal ATM...

 

[Joe Vee]

Guessing the age of the install you may have only the grounded conductor (neutral) on your run to the out building as that was once allowed. Under present Code you would be required to have a separate equipment rounding conductor.
If you don't have a EGC at the outbuilding, treat the feeder like a service as far as bonding and grounding.

These situations are handled differently jurisdiction by jurisdiction. I would suggest you talk with your local AHJ and see what he requires. Often portions of older installs are grandfathered.

Hi Augie... that's what I was hoping... that it would be grandfathered... home was built in 1994 and all the homes seem to have the same install, built as one subdivision by one contractor. However, I have to pull the meter to fix the mounting issue, which I know GA Power will require a permit to pull and re-install... so I was thinking that as soon as I pull it, no more grandfather protection which forces the upgrade to the new code requirements. If that happens, 150 Amp service is obsolete for parts, forcing upgrade to 200A.

I've been living in this area since 2000... they were building new homes here using 20 years old codes...
Great place to live if you're in the Home Inspection/Remodeling business...