Grounding to electrode and water pipe?

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johnjustjohn

Member
Location
New York
My main panel is located about 25' from where the service enters my house. The meter pan has a disconnect built in and four wires run to the panel, L1, L2, N and a bare EGC. N and EGC are not bonded in the panel but are bonded in the meter pan. There is a GEC that runs to a grounding electrode near the meter pan. It is my understanding that the grounding electrode is needed to protect the house circuitry from "large" voltages and provide a stable ground reference.

I was recently told that in addition to this I need to add a GEC outside the conduit in my house to connect it to my water pipe. Does this make sense if I'm using grounding electrodes where the service enters the house? If this is true, does the GEC need to be unbroken wire, from the grounding electrodes, through the meter pan and back into the house to the water pipe?

Thanks,

John
 

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
Re: Grounding to electrode and water pipe?

John, there is more to it than saying GEC. You may be bonding the water system, not using it for any grounding purpose so to speak. In any case your water system needs to be bonded.

Roger
 

johnjustjohn

Member
Location
New York
Re: Grounding to electrode and water pipe?

Roger,

I think you're right. I spoke with another electrician today who said just that, the water system is being grounded, not providing the ground. This seems to make sense now.

Thanks for the reply,

John
 
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