Jumping Around a Water Meter

[A/A Fuel GTX]

I have copper water line coming into a house. It is copper underground for more than 10' so it is an electrode. The copper continues out of the meter and goes directly into an electric water heater which is adjacent to the meter. The copper coming out of the water heater immediately transitions to PEX. I landed the GEC to the stub of copper coming up out of the ground before the meter. Am I required to bond around the meter even though the copper becomes PEX after a few feet? Wouldn't 250.104 (B) allow the EGC for the water heater to take the place of the bonding jumper around the water meter?

 

[iwire]

IMO the short stub of copper on the outlet side of this water heater is not a "metal water piping system" and requires no bonding at all.

 

[A/A Fuel GTX]

I agree, Bob. Just looking for some other views on this. This scenario of copper transitioning to PEX is becoming the norm around here.

 

[cschmid]

can the meter be removed so as to interrupt the bond. If not I say no you do not have to ground around it.

 

[A/A Fuel GTX]

can the meter be removed so as to interrupt the bond. If not I say no you do not have to ground around it.

If the meter is removed, the GEC is still in contact with the electrode. The EGC from the water heater circuit would bond the short piece of copper going into the water heater.

 

[cschmid]

thats what I thought you described I would say you covered it.