Grounding wire above water heater

[Dave85]

we have a gas water heater with pilot start and I noticed while installing some water lines that there was no jumper going from hot to cold.
I used to do electrical years ago and we always jumped hot to cold. I am thinking though that those might have been electrical heaters.

I dont have a code book anymore nor do I enjoy going through the complex sounding text...

So, do I need that jumper ground cable
and
If so, what gauge do I need for a 150A main with a 60A sub attached, (if that sub is anything important in this equation).

 

[wbalsam1]

we have a gas water heater with pilot start and I noticed while installing some water lines that there was no jumper going from hot to cold.
I used to do electrical years ago and we always jumped hot to cold. I am thinking though that those might have been electrical heaters.

I dont have a code book anymore nor do I enjoy going through the complex sounding text...

So, do I need that jumper ground cable
and
If so, what gauge do I need for a 150A main with a 60A sub attached, (if that sub is anything important in this equation).

Unless there is a local requirement, there is nothing that I know of within the text of the NEC that would require you to bond a hot and cold waterpipe together on a gas-fired appliance

 

[Dave85]

Would it be a good idea to do it anyways?
it's only a few dollars for the clamps and a few feet of wire anyways.

Every house I helped wire years ago required that bond from hot to cold and the inspector really wanted to see that. So I figure it may be good to put in anyways.

Thanks for the quick response.

 

[raider1]

The reason that people used to install a bonding jumper between the hot and cold water pipes was the fact that dielectric unions were used at the water heater and some inspectors felt that the hot water piping system was was isolated from the cold water piping system. They were using 250.104(A) as their justification.

This was common place here in my area. Now that we don't see much metal water piping in homes this has become a moot point.

Chris

 

[Cavie]

Would it be a good idea to do it anyways?
it's only a few dollars for the clamps and a few feet of wire anyways.

Every house I helped wire years ago required that bond from hot to cold and the inspector really wanted to see that. So I figure it may be good to put in anyways.

Thanks for the quick response.

Single handle fausets will do it for you.

 

[electricmanscott]

nor do I enjoy going through the complex sounding text...

That makes two of us!


As a general rule no jumper required.

 

[augie47]

The reason that people used to install a bonding jumper between the hot and cold water pipes was the fact that dielectric unions were used at the water heater and some inspectors felt that the hot water piping system was was isolated from the cold water piping system. They were using 250.104(A) as their justification.

This was common place here in my area. Now that we don't see much metal water piping in homes this has become a moot point.

Chris

was commonplace in this area also, but like Chris, I sledom see a metallic water pipe any more.

 

[infinity]

Inspectors here still require the jumper due to some interpretation that I'm unaware of. Since most of the homes around here are old they all metallic water piping systems. If you're sizing the jumper look at table 250.66.

 

[celtic]

I dont have a code book anymore nor do I enjoy going through the complex sounding text...

That's unfortunate, because you are going to need it...