Should main EGC always have 0 (amps and volts) no exceptions?

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Cletis

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Is there ever an exception that there may be voltage and amps on the main egc leaving meter base to the ground rod? If so, what are numbers not to be too concerned about or should it always be 0 in a perfect world ??

Amps 0.2 - 4.9

Volts 5 - 57V
 
Cletis said:
Is there ever an exception that there may be voltage and amps on the main egc leaving meter base to the ground rod? If so, what are numbers not to be too concerned about or should it always be 0 in a perfect world ??

Amps 0.2 - 4.9

Volts 5 - 57V
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GEC, Grounding Electrode Conductor.

not

EGC, Equipment Grounding Conductor.


The world is not perfect so you may have a small current flow on the GEC. Voltage is an entirely different situation. Details as to how or what you’re making measurements to could make a difference.
 
Readings

Readings

kwired said:
Yes details, exactly what two points and under what conditions are you measuring those voltages?
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I took most measurements around the #6 bare copper from ground rod as it entered into meter base for amps

I took the voltage readings 10" from earth, scraped paint off GEC and stuck other prob in earth about 8" wet soil


Upon arrival house on in normal mode

Amps 1.7 amps

Volts 57

After Shutting down both main breakers in house (another storyline)

0.7 amps

57 volts

Other odd readings

When taking apart a 240V well circuit (when off or on) sparks from egc and all kinds of voltages from 30-157V on egc to egc same circuit

Illegal sub panel on a 3 wire off 1 panel with grounds and neutrals together on floating bar (not bonded) 103V from neutral bar to anything metal

As we isolated circuits seems like septic and well circuits caused the most fluctuations

Another note Main neutral that fed Main panel was loose. After giving it about 4 full turns Amps on GEC went from 1.1 to 4.9

Multiple bootleg (cheater) neutral to ground connections.

Long story short seems like the more I corrected and tightened things the worse the readings and bigger the sparks on the egc wires
 
Cletis said:
I took most measurements around the #6 bare copper from ground rod as it entered into meter base for amps

I took the voltage readings 10" from earth, scraped paint off GEC and stuck other prob in earth about 8" wet soil


Upon arrival house on in normal mode

Amps 1.7 amps

Volts 57

After Shutting down both main breakers in house (another storyline)

0.7 amps

57 volts

Other odd readings

When taking apart a 240V well circuit (when off or on) sparks from egc and all kinds of voltages from 30-157V on egc to egc same circuit

Illegal sub panel on a 3 wire off 1 panel with grounds and neutrals together on floating bar (not bonded) 103V from neutral bar to anything metal

As we isolated circuits seems like septic and well circuits caused the most fluctuations

Another note Main neutral that fed Main panel was loose. After giving it about 4 full turns Amps on GEC went from 1.1 to 4.9

Multiple bootleg (cheater) neutral to ground connections.

Long story short seems like the more I corrected and tightened things the worse the readings and bigger the sparks on the egc wires
Click to expand...


Sounds to me like you have a bad neutral somewhere, even though you possibly fixed some potential bad spots, there is still something upstream from where that GEC is connected to neutral, which is apparently in meter base. Cheater neutral to ground connections are a problem, but not a direct contributing factor to this particular issue, you have an open circuit or high resistance in the neutral somewhere between your GEC connecting point and the source (POCO transformer).
 
kwired said:
Sounds to me like you have a bad neutral somewhere, even though you possibly fixed some potential bad spots, there is still something upstream from where that GEC is connected to neutral, which is apparently in meter base. Cheater neutral to ground connections are a problem, but not a direct contributing factor to this particular issue, you have an open circuit or high resistance in the neutral somewhere between your GEC connecting point and the source (POCO transformer).
Click to expand...

I forgot another interesting tidbit. When HO was getting (lifting) his kids out of hot tub other night (in sandals on cement base pavers) he said he definitely was getting shocked (mild but was for sure shocked) until they were all the way out. I inspected hot tub and was wired correctly (4 wire and on gfci)
 
Cletis said:
I forgot another interesting tidbit. When HO was getting (lifting) his kids out of hot tub other night (in sandals on cement base pavers) he said he definitely was getting shocked (mild but was for sure shocked) until they were all the way out. I inspected hot tub and was wired correctly (4 wire and on gfci)
Click to expand...
That is because with the bad service neutral everything bonded to it (including all equipment grounding conductors) is seeing this same rise in voltage above true ground. A GFCI will do nothing to protect from a rise in voltage on the EGC.
 
ptonsparky said:
Get the POCO involved and look for a poor or missing neutral connection. Now. not later No more hot tubs, no baths, showers or excuses.
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I agree, I would take this very seriously. 57 volts to ground is very bad. Ultimately any current flowing to earth from the electrical system is bad. readable voltage in such a short distance as described is also bad.
 
Is this the house with Alum siding from your other post?

It is not uncommon especially for 100 amp overhead services for the neutral from the meter to the service disconnect to get destroyed from rain dripping through the top seal of the meter, it will actually wick through the service entrance cable

I have on more than one service seen the alum neutral turn to powder when touched.

You have a compromised neutral as stated by others
 
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