Grounding

[SubpanelMaster]

So i am about to start work in a 2 floor house that is located in Jamaica and I have encountered the problem of the main panel not having a source of ground. The panel is located in the basement and there I am going to change everything starting with the panel. Do i have to do a ground rod, or is there another option that I can take?

 

[infinity]

Assuming that you mean the Island of Jamaica? Do they adopt the NEC?

 

[retirede]

Assuming that you mean the Island of Jamaica? Do they adopt the NEC?

I’m guessing New York?

 

[SubpanelMaster]

Assuming that you mean the Island of Jamaica? Do they adopt the NEC?

lol Jamaica, Queens. sorry about the misunderstanding

 

[tom baker]

Every electrical service (main panel?) is required to have a GES. For older homes it’s often a ground tod, or 2, It’s all laid out in 250.52

 

[infinity]

If it's an older home it will likely have a metal water pipe that needs to be used as a grounding electrode. The water pipe will also need to be supplemented by another electrode typically two 8' ground rods, 6' or more apart.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

So where do you drive rods in Queens where the basement and everything outside is concrete? LOL Drill some holes in the slab and drive the rods unless the meter is outside and there is grass around it.

 

[SubpanelMaster]

If it's an older home it will likely have a metal water pipe that needs to be used as a grounding electrode. The water pipe will also need to be supplemented by another electrode typically two 8' ground rods, 6' or more apart.

so im suppose to have the ground coming from 2 ground rods that are 6 feet apart, then tie it to the water line before bringing it into the panel? I thought it was one ground rod.

 

[SubpanelMaster]

So where do you drive rods in Queens where the basement and everything outside is concrete? LOL Drill some holes in the slab and drive the rods unless the meter is outside and there is grass around it.

yes sir. thank you for your input, i would have to drill a hole in the concrete and ram the ground rod into it. too bad it wasn't outside

 

[SubpanelMaster]

Every electrical service (main panel?) is required to have a GES. For older homes it’s often a ground tod, or 2, It’s all laid out in 250.52

the home didn't have any type of ground tied off in the house so i will have to install a ground rod. thank you for the nec code reference, that helped a lot

 

[infinity]

so im suppose to have the ground coming from 2 ground rods that are 6 feet apart, then tie it to the water line before bringing it into the panel? I thought it was one ground rod.

You can run a separate GEC to each electrode or loop them together your choice. One caveat of the loop method is that if the water pipe electrode requires a larger GEC than #6 then you would need to loop that larger GEC to the ground rods as well. You need two ground rods unless you can prove that a single rod has a resistance of 25Ω or less.