Problem today with POCO and service change; opinions?

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brantmacga said:
where does it say that?
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2005 NEC Article 250.56. That's why more areas are now requiring that you drive two ground rods. Many of the water pipes that run from the street are now in PVC ( not considered a grounding electrode ). The water pipe still needs to be bonded ( if metal ) but has lost it's usefullness as a ground.


By the way I once has to bond about 2 ft of copper pipe and that was the only metal pipe in the whole house. I hadn't even noticed it as it was covered by insulation. :grin:
 
it was my understanding that the water pipes are the grounding electrode and the ground rod is the supplementary electrode, thus meeting the <25 ohm requirement and negating the need for a second ground rod.
 
brantmacga said:
it was my understanding that the water pipes are the grounding electrode and the ground rod is the supplementary electrode, thus meeting the <25 ohm requirement and negating the need for a second ground rod.
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Yes but you no longer have the water pipe as a ground right? Because the POCO made you disconnect it. So now you need 2 ground rods or something else along with your one ground rod.
 
brantmacga said:
it was my understanding that the water pipes are the grounding electrode and the ground rod is the supplementary electrode, thus meeting the <25 ohm requirement and negating the need for a second ground rod.
Click to expand...

With the new homes you have the "Ufer ground" and this takes care of the problem.

With a metal underground water pipe used as the grounding electrode you would need to know that it buried for at least 10 ft. ( and continuous) in contact with the earth. How do you know it hasn't been replaced with PVC? It would be hard to prove unless you dig it up. Many of the local jurisdictions take the attitude that if the cold water pipe hasn't been replaced it probably will be.

I think it's a better safe than sorry attitude on the part of the AHJ. So you drive two ground rods to make everyone happy.

With that sandy soil you have down on the coast you should probably drive about a half dozen ground rods just to be sure ( a plug for the ground rod manufacturers). :grin: :grin:
 
brantmacga said:
it was my understanding that the water pipes are the grounding electrode and the ground rod is the supplementary electrode, thus meeting the <25 ohm requirement and negating the need for a second ground rod.
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Don't have the book in front of me but you DO have to comply with the 25 ohm rule even if you have a metal wp as your electrode.
 
steelersman said:
Yes but you no longer have the water pipe as a ground right? Because the POCO made you disconnect it. So now you need 2 ground rods or something else along with your one ground rod.
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Water pipe or no water pipe has NOTHING to do with the fact that >25 ohms or two rods are required in this case.
 
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