Re: Service neutral impedance
Originally posted by karl riley:
<snip>I am glad that your eyes are being opened here, but spare me. Karl
Karl,
My eyes are being opened further every day. They are not closed, but I don't know everything. That's life. As for water meters I am only adding what I have been told by my water company, what I have observed, and what I believe.
There seems to be a deeper issue here between you and me, but I can only act on what I know, and I can only relay what I believe. Work with me here.
I just sent you a PM just before reading this latest comment from you, so please be aware that anything in that PM is not colored or in response to this latest posting of yours.
>>>
[Post addendum 6:30PM PST-- original post above 6:00PM PST].
OK. Here we go. First off Karl, I want to know that I have the highest regard for your field of expertise. I also have the highest regard for your postings (except the ones where you get personal with me
). I want you to like and respect me, but that's your decision to make.
My eyes were opened in reverse. I too for my younger years assumed and was told that a water pipe ground was the best ground and that everybody was bonded in a neighborhood (back then it was all metal piping).
I assumed that in a metal piping system that everybody was bonded together and that a metal water pipe ground went for miles. Not that miles were needed but I was confident that the bond passed through the meter.
Somewhere in my electrical career my water company alerted me to the fact that the bond cannot be relied on past the meter as the meter includes a di-electric component. This is what they told me. It was news to me, and yes my eyes were opened. I never verified it. I just relied on the fact that they were from the government and they were there to help me and their word was gospel. I had no reason to question or verify their statement, nor did I want that liability.
This thread started by you brought up the neighborhood bonding issue again. I responded with my personal knowledge and what I believed to be the truth. I did not call you a liar or say your statement was false. I said "I don't believe..." because that's a correct statement based on what I know.
In the past 30-minutes I have sent you a PM, and I also as promised went out and uncovered my water meter (I actually had started that project today-- so this just spurred me on to finish the job. The moles had filled it in and I like to clear it out so my meter gets read properly. The moles make it easy to clear out-- the dirt is already loose).
RESULTS: I isolated the meter from the earth. FYI: I'm on an all metal system in an older neighborhood. The metal inlet and outlet from the meter still go into the earth but I got the meter and the connectors and valves to float in mid-air. I put my VOM on it and was expecting a high impedance. Actually, there was NO effective continuity between the street side of the meter and the house side of the meter. I did not expect this. I thought there would be some significant continuity. Of course with better equipment there has to be some impedance because as Bennie has stated "there is no perfect insulator". It turns out this water meter is a very good insulator from my house to the main.
I am hoping this information can be received in the manner it is intended. I am trying to add to this thread. I am not trying to divert attention. The question was broached. This is my answer. I am not trying to prove anybody wrong. I am only trying to verify my belief.
Personal note to Karl: I would love to hire you to do an EMF check of my home (and a continuity check of my water meter) as your talents, experience, and equipment surpass mine. I am not the brightest bulb here by far. I do bring something to the table, and I hope you can find a good portion of my input useful.
That's it for now. I hope it makes sense, and I hope it is not found to be confrontational, or diversionary as that is not my intent. Peace. It's dinner time. Bye.
[ September 20, 2003, 10:38 PM: Message edited by: awwt ]