Seven Deadly Sins of Grounding

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infinity

infinity

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I read a few paragraphs, the author has little knowledge of how grounding and bonding works in relation to the NEC.
 
Wire-Smith

Wire-Smith

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Dennis Alwon said:
Don't connect to water pipes or in concrete (ufer).

I understand we need to be cautious of it but water lines around here are not coated...Ufers are controversial.
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i take what he is saying about the water pipe is just not to rely on it for a ground, but to bond it.

It is better to think of water pipe as a required metal object that must be bonded
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concrete electrodes, it blows up when hit by lightning if you don't have bleed ground wires sticking out of it going to something like a ring electrode. the lightning super-heats the water and kablooey

http://severe-wx.pbworks.com/w/page/15957987/Lightning
 

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jaggedben

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Dennis Alwon said:
What do you all think of this? Everything the NEC requires this guy rejects...

http://www.esgroundingsolutions.com...mmon-electrical-grounding-design-mistakes.pdf
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I don't fully agree with your characterization. Read the full text and he's largely backing up what the NEC says. I do grant that it's written in a weird sort of 'gotcha' manner. For example where he lists "Using a Water Pipe as a Grounding Electrode" as a 'mistake', his text on the matter is really arguing that 'relying on a water pipe as your only electrode' is a mistake, which maybe isn't so unreasonable.

What he says about concrete, on the other hand, seems like bunk, at least when it comes to grounding electrodes.

It's sort of a mish-mash of correct stuff and overblown whatever.
 
kwired

kwired

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From the article:
A ”bonded” object is when an electrician makes an
intentional metallic connection to ensure that there is no difference in potential, but is NOT intending that
object to be used as a path to earth for electrical faults. An “electrode” IS an object that is intentionally
connected and designed to conduct electrical faults to earth (and typically buried).
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This maybe one of the main things he has wrong that lead to why some of those seven main points get mentioned.

Grounding electrodes are not for clearing faults or carrying high currents at low utilization voltages. NEC is fine with a ground rod that is only 25 ohms - which will be current limiting for all low utilization voltages. Even a 1000 volt supply that is faulted to a 25 ohm rod will only carry 40 amps of current.

Now from a design perspective, he has some points if the design intent is to achieve as low impedance as possible in a grounding electrode path.
 
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petersonra

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It keeps referring to electrical faults there should never be any electrical fault in a grounding electrode of any type. He also seems to misunderstand some of the requirements of the national electrical Code. For instance his claim of tar coating being a problem for water pipes as a grounding electrode is true. But the code word not allow you to use such a pipe as a grounding electro because it's not indirect contact with the earth for 10 ft. Same thing would building steel. He's essentially saying that you shouldn't use building steel as a grounding electrode unless it actually is a grounding electrode is defined in the code. His example is not a legal grounding electrode
 
Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

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jaggedben said:
I don't fully agree with your characterization. Read the full text and he's largely backing up what the NEC says. I do grant that it's written in a weird sort of 'gotcha' manner. For example where he lists "Using a Water Pipe as a Grounding Electrode" as a 'mistake', his text on the matter is really arguing that 'relying on a water pipe as your only electrode' is a mistake, which maybe isn't so unreasonable.

What he says about concrete, on the other hand, seems like bunk, at least when it comes to grounding electrodes.

It's sort of a mish-mash of correct stuff and overblown whatever.
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You don't agree but you realize the text is poor, the mistakes are listed as the requirements of the nec, you disagree with the cee. I think I was close with my assessment but I get it...
 
A

Adamjamma

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Jamaica and london
Well, his characterization of electricity blowing up the ufer. If that actually happened I know quite a few military buildings, bridges, and houses that would no longer be standing. But, I do agree that one should still consider the idea of a bonded groundring around the building, even if one has all the steelin the building tied and bonded. I have often wondered about the ability of some of the Icf buildings to absorb lightning strikes due to the insistence that the rebar needs snappedin place andnot tied.
 
A

Adamjamma

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Jamaica and london
Well, Mr Holts videos seem to make you think that he felt everyone was wrong concerning grounding and the NEC and that only he was right until he learned more about it... then he learned that equipotential grounding was a necessity and not just an ideal... or at least that is my take on his fifty plus hours on grounding videos...
 
G

Galt

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Wis.
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master electrician and refrigeration service tech.
Seems to me if you bond something made of conducting material and it is in contact with the ground it is a grounding electrode. I tried to get something started on this a while back because here in rural Wis. there are thousands of LP tanks with a copper pipe ran underground to the house or other building. Lately gas suppliers have been installing dielectric unions at the building this is causing fires but no one seems to care.
 
StarCat

StarCat

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Moab, UT USA
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I'll second that

I'll second that

Little Bill said:
He also seems to thing a GEC & electrode is to clear a fault.
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".... but is NOT intending that object to be used as a path to earth for electrical fault "

He seems to be alluding to lightning faults and ignoring real world electrical faults without making the necessary distinction.
 
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