New Service and ground question

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

Ragin Cajun

Senior Member
Location
Upstate S.C.
Have a residential building where the service is now on the opposite end from where the water line enters. We originally had both together, but long story short the utility will bring the service in on the other end of the building. We have a UFER and a horizontal ground rod laid in the bottom of a deep trench where the water line is. But now, of course, it's on the side opposite the new service.

How do you guys "bond" to the water line where it's no where near the incoming service. The panelboard is in the center of the building and about 15' from the nearest water line (all copper).

To compound maters, where the service now is located we hit solid rock with two ground rods. Managed to pull one out but the other is down 6' and will not budge. We now have to lay two rods horizontal which will be no easy task. The county here in upstate SC requires two ground rods since the soil is not the greatest for grounding.

Oh, the fun of it.


RC
 
Sounds like you will have to run the GEC all the way back to within 5' of where the water line enters the building. I've seen some extremely long GEC runs.........
 
If I understand correctly, the Jurisdiction that this job is located requires ground rods even if you have a UFER ground and water ground? I assume this is a local ammendment/ordinance?

Pete
 
Ragin Cajun said:
Have a residential building where the service is now on the opposite end from where the water line enters. We originally had both together, but long story short the utility will bring the service in on the other end of the building. We have a UFER and a horizontal ground rod laid in the bottom of a deep trench where the water line is. But now, of course, it's on the side opposite the new service.

How do you guys "bond" to the water line where it's no where near the incoming service. The panelboard is in the center of the building and about 15' from the nearest water line (all copper).

To compound maters, where the service now is located we hit solid rock with two ground rods. Managed to pull one out but the other is down 6' and will not budge. We now have to lay two rods horizontal which will be no easy task. The county here in upstate SC requires two ground rods since the soil is not the greatest for grounding.

Oh, the fun of it.


RC
Click to expand...

Looking at article 250.104 I don't see anything that requires you run to the point of entry to bond the system
 
I also thought the water-pipe connection only need be within 5' of its entrance if you want to use it as an electrode.
 
And to further what Larry said, only if it is an interior hookup do you need to be worried about the 5 ft . . We do ours on the outside of the building, and then you only really need to have buried 10 foot of contact with the soil to qualify it for a gec connection.
 
At the moment I am planing to put in two ground rods at the meter/service disconnect (opposite end of house from water). Then run a tie from the original location using #6 Cu to the panelboard in the center of the house. I can also make a tie to where the Cu water line enters the house.

The original UFER was also tied to the Cu water line as it came out of the slab. From there the water line is plastic.

This is not the "normal" layout shown in the handbook, but what in real life is!

RC
 
macmikeman said:
And to further what Larry said, only if it is an interior hookup do you need to be worried about the 5 ft . . We do ours on the outside of the building, and then you only really need to have buried 10 foot of contact with the soil to qualify it for a gec connection.
Click to expand...
As wirenut said, "if it is there you must use it"
 
Electrode system

Electrode system

LarryFine said:
I also thought the water-pipe connection only need be within 5' of its entrance if you want to use it as an electrode.
Click to expand...

Not only as an electrode, but it also qualifies the interior pipe as a GES electrode interconnect. IRC E3508.1.1 disqualifies H2O pipe as part of the GES if the pipe is not within 5' of the foundation entrance. rbj
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top