ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
Yes, take their money!
How to prove there is a ground rod
- Thread starter Stevenfyeager
- Start date
Fred B
Senior Member
- Location
- Upstate, NY
- Occupation
- Electrician
250.53 indicates for for a single rod it must be supplemented by another unless you can prove 25 ohm or less.
If this is a home inspector that is making a fuss take with a grain of salt as an original historical installation it would have been inspected before the power was turned on by the POCO. If a purchase agreement was being held up all code requires is a second rod at least six feet from the first. Anywhere accessible beyond that meet the code and just drive one and done.
If this is an electrical inspector AHJ then either proof of resistance or proof of electrode would be required.
If this is a home inspector that is making a fuss take with a grain of salt as an original historical installation it would have been inspected before the power was turned on by the POCO. If a purchase agreement was being held up all code requires is a second rod at least six feet from the first. Anywhere accessible beyond that meet the code and just drive one and done.
If this is an electrical inspector AHJ then either proof of resistance or proof of electrode would be required.
This is a home inspector. If I were the seller, I’d point him to the final inspection approval sticker on the panel and tell him to pound sand. It’s unlikely that the buyers will push the issue unless they got cold feet regarding the purchase for some other reason.
louisvilleKYradon
New User
- Location
- USA
- Occupation
- home inspector
If the ground rod is hidden, an electrician can perform a ground resistance test to confirm it’s installed and working properly. You could also check the electrical panel for grounding connections or ask for installation records.
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
Who pays?
Define working properly. How can you tell there are not two or more rods properly installed by a ground resistance test?
Obviously lack of a GEC is a flag.
You can ask.
The fact that there is a “Pass” sticker in the panel from the electrical inspector is the installation record.
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
For us, in NE, we only saw stickers for a few years, then stamped permit inspection cards and last a mailed 'passed' notice. I never took those back to the location. Some could have been months after completion.
Even if one was to prove yes there is a ground rod but wish that I had a dollar for every one that got cut In halve. I once spent 6 hours hours years ago attempting to drill a hole thru 18" of concrete with numerous heavy rebar. I drilled down 16" and got a 3/4" hammer drill bit stuck that I could not twist out with a 24" pipe wrench. Had to leave that in the concrete and have somebody burn producing part flush with the floor. It was in a big city with no grass on the property. Needless to say that was when you only had to have one ground rod and that one had to be cut. Place was built to park loaded tractor trailers and they went overboard on the concrete thinking they were going to add a second floor. Only load where luminares and one receptacle.