Two Remote Ground Electrodes

[Electriman]

Greetings,

I am feeding a remote lighting pole from and a circuit breaker panel board. I have two ground rods one at the panel board and one by the lighting pole. Per NEC the ground electrodes must be bonded. I am using 2/C#10 and #10 GND to feed the lighting pole. Do I need to run #8 GND conductor to tie the ground electrodes or can I use the #10 equipment ground conductor to bond two ground electrodes.

Thanks in advance.

 

[LarryFine]

How far apart are the electrodes?

 

[Electriman]

800’

 

[LarryFine]

800’

I'm glad I asked. I was expecting an answer of more like between six and twenty feet.

You have a simple feeder. The electrodes need not be tied together by anything more than that.

 

[electrofelon]

You have a simple feeder. The electrodes need not be tied together by anything more than that.

Do we know its a feeder and not a branch circuit?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

The question is why do you have a rod at the pole? It is not necessary

 

[tom baker]

You are feeding the light pole from a panel? Your first sentence is not clear
Ground rods are not required at the light pole

 

[infinity]

Since you have a lightning protection electrode at the pole it is required to be connected to the electrode(s) at the panel. Question is what size conductor is required and can the EGC be used to connect the two together? Yes the ground rod at the pole is not required but that isn't the question.

250.106 Lightning Protection Systems. The lightning protection system ground terminals shall be bonded to the building or structure grounding electrode system.

 

[electrofelon]

Since you have a lightning protection electrode at the pole it is required to be connected to the electrode(s) at the panel. Question is what size conductor is required and can the EGC be used to connect the two together? Yes the ground rod at the pole is not required but that isn't the question.

Hmmmm, interesting perspective. What makes the electrode at the pole a "lightning protection electrode"? Also it seems they are talking about the bonding the lightning protection electrode to the structure electrode - the pole - not back to the serving building electrode.

 

[infinity]

Hmmmm, interesting perspective. What makes the electrode at the pole a "lightning protection electrode"? Also it seems they are talking about the bonding the lightning protection electrode to the structure electrode - the pole - not back to the serving building electrode.

The way I'm reading the OP there is no "structure" electrode at the pole and with a single circuit one is not required. That leaves a ground rod for lightning protection at the pole or can we call it an auxiliary electrode? Come to think of it there seems to be no lightning protection system at the pole.

 

[LarryFine]

Do we know its a feeder and not a branch circuit?

I took "lighting pole" to mean a panel. My bad.

 

[hillbilly1]

Since you have a lightning protection electrode at the pole it is required to be connected to the electrode(s) at the panel. Question is what size conductor is required and can the EGC be used to connect the two together? Yes the ground rod at the pole is not required but that isn't the question.

Hmmmm, interesting perspective. What makes the electrode at the pole a "lightning protection electrode"? Also it seems they are talking about the bonding the lightning protection electrode to the structure electrode - the pole - not back to the serving building electrode.

True, just being a metal pole (assuming it’s metal) would not make it a “lightning protection electrode”, unless it does have one mounted on top?

 

[LarryFine]

At 800 feet, it's clearly not the same structure.

If there's an issue, disconnect the wire to the rod.

 

[electrofelon]

The way I'm reading the OP there is no "structure" electrode at the pole and with a single circuit one is not required. That leaves a ground rod for lightning protection at the pole or can we call it an auxiliary electrode? Come to think of it there seems to be no lightning protection system at the pole.

Thats what I was thinking

 

[infinity]

True, just being a metal pole (assuming it’s metal) would not make it a “lightning protection electrode”, unless it does have one mounted on top?

I'm just trying to decipher what the rod is actually doing at the pole. If it's part of some sort of lightning protection then that would mean that 250.106 applies. If it is not part of a system then just bond it to the pole and go home.

 

[Electriman]

You are feeding the light pole from a panel? Your first sentence is not clear
Ground rods are not required at the light pole

Yes. The lighting pole is fed by a panel board.
The ground rods are client preferences.

 

[infinity]

Yes. The lighting pole is fed by a panel board.
The ground rods are client preferences.

What is the function of the rod at the pole?

 

[Electriman]

N

Since you have a lightning protection electrode at the pole it is required to be connected to the electrode(s) at the panel. Question is what size conductor is required and can the EGC be used to connect the two together? Yes the ground rod at the pole is not required but that isn't the question.

No. I am not using the ground rod for lightening protection. It is for grounding purposes.

 

[Electriman]

What is the function of the rod at the pole?

For grounding. Besides lights, there are some other electronic equipment that feds by the panel board,

 

[electrofelon]

For grounding. Besides lights, there are some other electronic equipment that feds by the panel board,

Is this a typical metal pole on a concrete base? IF so isnt it already earthed?