'sparks' when connecting gas pipe to furnace

[MTW]

But unfortunately no egc from em-cum-service equipment!

There is no requirement for a separate EGC from, the emergency disconnect to the main service panel, the neutral serves that purpose when you bond the neutral bus to the ground bus at the main service panel, with the main overcurrent device.

The circuit conductors between the emergency disconnect and the main service disconnect are treated as service entrance conductors
and the establishment of a separate ground bus only occurs after the main service overcurrent device.
Only after that main service overcurrent device, do the neutral and the grounding system conductors become separate and isolated from each other.

The emergency disconnect would also have a bond connection between the neutral bus and the enclosure ground bus, to serve the purpose of handling ground fault currents in the emergency disconnect, If it lacks a factory neutral to ground connection.

 

[WD40]

After reviewing the code on EM disconnects I advised the customer that I am not the code expert but I suspect this installation is illegal, for three reasons:
#1 the meter / main is labeled suitable for use only as service equipment making it ineligible sa a Em disconnect under 230.85(B)(3)
#2 the main breaker in the basement SQ-D panel is not 'nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors' as the SE cable travels thru a crawlspace and basement over 20' before it hits the panel a violation of 230.70(A)(1)
#3 The Grounding Electrode conductors and bonding conductors are bonded the the neutral at different points, connecting the CSST gas pipe to neutral EM disconnect and the ground bar at the service panel caused objectionable current 250.6 on the CSST. I suspect if nothing else changed but the #6 was moved from the EM disconnect to the main service panel the ground loop on the CSST would go away.

 

[WD40]

UPDATE: I am planning on running the 4-wire SE-R and converting the meter / main to the service disconnect next week. I temporarily removed the ground loop so the HVAC guy would be happy with his CSST.
When I convert the meter / main to a service do I need to move all grounding electrode conductors out there? Or
Can I use the equipment grounding wire in the SE-R cable also as a ground electrode tap to bond the grounding electrode systems together?
water pipe electrode in the basement panel, ground rods are landed in the meter main outside.

 

[Little Bill]

UPDATE: I am planning on running the 4-wire SE-R and converting the meter / main to the service disconnect next week. I temporarily removed the ground loop so the HVAC guy would be happy with his CSST.
When I convert the meter / main to a service do I need to move all grounding electrode conductors out there? Or
Can I use the equipment grounding wire in the SE-R cable also as a ground electrode tap to bond the grounding electrode systems together?
water pipe electrode in the basement panel, ground rods are landed in the meter main outside.

The way I read it, the EGC can't be used as a GEC.

 

[kwired]

The way I read it, the EGC can't be used as a GEC.

But GEC and EGC can be the same conductor if conditions in 250.118(B)(1) exception are met.

Keep in mind part of those conditions is to follow 250 parts II, III and IV.
A big item is the GEC must be continuous from wherever it begins to the electrode, so in many cases any connection you make for EGC purposes from that conductor would be via a method that does not involve cutting the GEC. Also when it mentions 250.6(A) (prevention of objectionable current) grounded conductor current flowing to a grounding electrode on service supplied systems isn't exactly considered objectionable current and may not really be all that avoidable in some cases and still maintain use of said electrode. In particular in places where metallic water distribution is used to supply buildings.