residential phone gnd

[tim]

We have a homeowner who ran his own phone wiring on a house that we wired. Usually we make the home run to the area by the meter base. This guy decided to make homerun on oppisite side of house. He drove a grn rod down for the phone company to use. They are telling him that they must use the same rod as the electrical service. Why would that be, and does it really matter? Does the NEC specify this? Is the phone company just jerking him around? Thanks for your input, Tim. I might also add that this is Verizon in central Illinois.

[ January 05, 2004, 04:18 PM: Message edited by: tim ]

 

[iwire]

Re: residential phone gnd

They are not jerking him around 800.40(B)(1) requires the phones grounding electrode to tie in with the buildings grounding.

You can leave the ground rod in place and run a conductor from there to one of the locations listed in 800.40(B)(1)

 

[tim]

Re: residential phone gnd

Thanks for the quick response Bob.

 

[hbiss]

Re: residential phone gnd

And a big bravo to Verizon of central Illinois! Usually they are as ignorant on this issue as your guy here who ran his own wire.

 

[tim]

Re: residential phone gnd

Could a person run a gnd wire from the phone interface to a sub-panel in the basement and hook on to the bare grnds there and fulfill the NEC?

 

[jxofaltrds]

Re: residential phone gnd

Tim

"Could a person run a gnd wire from the phone interface to a sub-panel in the basement and hook on to the bare grnds there and fulfill the NEC?"

I say no.

Run that #10awg (I think) to the ground rod, or the egc.

Mike P.

 

[tim]

Re: residential phone gnd

How about going to the incoming water main? 800.400(B)(2)? Just trying to keep the guy from digging around the perimeter of the whole house.Would 250.94 apply? Arn't these stystems all tied together anyway? I guess I am missing something in why these options would not be safe. Please educate me. Thanks Tim Hausmann.

 

[jxofaltrds]

Re: residential phone gnd

Tim

"How about going to the incoming water main?"

If metal yes.

"800.400(B)(2)?"

I hope this is a typo.


"Would 250.94 apply?"

No.

"Arn't these stystems all tied together anyway?"

Yes.

"I guess I am missing something in why these options would not be safe."

Yes

"Please educate me. Thanks Tim Hausmann."

I can try but my teaching skills are not as good as the others that post here so I will give them a chance to help you.

Mike P.

 

[tim]

Re: residential phone gnd

It was a typo Mike LOL. Thanks for your input. I value your experiance.

 

[jimwalker]

Re: residential phone gnd

My 2 cents.Did the phone company tell him to connecct at the other end of the house? If so i believe it's there problem to get it grounded.And i see no reason he can't use that sub panel ground.( no eggs i just stating opinion)

 

[hurk27]

Re: residential phone gnd

The safest way out of this is to run a cat5 cable to the service from this connection point. then allow the proper bonding to the electrode to be done there. It is never a good idea to ask lightning to come through a house to get to the electrode. Most wires over 20' will not stop lightning from doing grave damage as the impedance will be too high. It would be cheaper to run the cat5 even if you have to use direct burial to get it there.

 

[jimwalker]

Re: residential phone gnd

Are there no phone jacks on the meter side of house? could feed it there.
Exactly whos job is it to ground the phone system?

 

[dana1028]

Re: residential phone gnd

Originally posted by jxofaltrds:
Tim

"How about going to the incoming water main?"

If metal yes.


"Would 250.94 apply?"

No.

Mike P.

Why wouldn't 250.94 apply? 800.40(B)(1)(3) directs you to this section as an option.

[ January 05, 2004, 10:27 PM: Message edited by: dana1028 ]

 

[tim]

Re: residential phone gnd

Homeowner stuck home run out of the house on his own. I still think sub-panel and gnd rod at home run location would do the job. What is the reasoning for phone gnd to be the same as my electrical system gnd?

 

[jimwalker]

Re: residential phone gnd

I would see this as an additional grd rod to the sub panel .Nothing wrong with that.
Now since there is a grd rod available why can't the phone use it?
same elect potential at both rods.
Wait till you get a few more replies,the good thing about this forum is your picking at several minds and one of them might know a code to forbid something.No body understands every word in this book.
HOLD ON Mike Holt just might, he is dam good at it.

[ January 06, 2004, 12:56 AM: Message edited by: jimwalker ]

 

[jxofaltrds]

Re: residential phone gnd

I did not read 800.40 last night. I thought 800.4 was asked.

Anyway go to 800.40(D).

I do not believe that connection in a "sub" panel is allowed because I do not think of it as part of the grounding electrode system.

Mike P.