Tapping an Equipment Ground Conductor to ground multiple equipment and structures

[Pitt123]

Can an Equipment Ground Conductor (EGC) be tapped or spliced in order to to ground multiple pieces of equipment or sturctures. For instance If I had a panel that had a feeder or branch circuit feeding a piece of equipment can the equipment ground conductor be tapped or spliced to ground surrounding structure in addition to the piece of equipment?

As another example can an inverter that has an equipment ground conductor on the DC side grounding the PV panels be tapped in order to ground the racking structure or supporting racking? Can this EGC be tapped several times to go in multiple directions to ground multiple panels and supporting structures?

If there are multiple inverters close to each other can the EGC's from the (3) inverters be combined into one with an irreversible splice to have the one EGC feed multiple panels and supporting structures?

 

[Pitt123]

Also does the EGC have to be run in the same conduit as the phase conductors, or can the EGC(s) be run in a conduit by itself?

 

[Twoskinsoneman]

The EGC can be spliced as you specified but it must be run with the other conductors of it's circuit and must sized for the largest circuit.

 

[petersonra]

Can an Equipment Ground Conductor (EGC) be tapped or spliced in order to to ground multiple pieces of equipment or sturctures. For instance If I had a panel that had a feeder or branch circuit feeding a piece of equipment can the equipment ground conductor be tapped or spliced to ground surrounding structure in addition to the piece of equipment?

As another example can an inverter that has an equipment ground conductor on the DC side grounding the PV panels be tapped in order to ground the racking structure or supporting racking? Can this EGC be tapped several times to go in multiple directions to ground multiple panels and supporting structures?

If there are multiple inverters close to each other can the EGC's from the (3) inverters be combined into one with an irreversible splice to have the one EGC feed multiple panels and supporting structures?

Are you confusing an EGC with a GEC?

Also does the EGC have to be run in the same conduit as the phase conductors, or can the EGC(s) be run in a conduit by itself?

This is my take on it. Every EGC does not have to be run with phase conductors, but every set of phase conductors does have to have an EGC run with it.

IOW, you could conceivably run an EGC by itself in a conduit that is not associated with any live conductors at all. It would not be a code violation to do so.

However, if you have live conductors (with a few exceptions), you must route an EGC with them. Keep in mind the EGC does not always have to be a wire. Metal conduit and raceways can also serve as an EGC in most cases.