Water pipe bonding?

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Esthy

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I am doing an estimate to replace a water heater and a evaporate cooler. The house has a new permitted and passed inspection service panel, 200 amps with the proper electrode system - water pipe and bonded to two rods. The main service has the 200 main disconnect breaker and 100 amps breaker feeding the sub-panel inside the water heater room. In the sub-panel, the EC, separated the neutrals, installed a new bus for the grounds and ran on the wall surface a new wire 6 AWG to the water heater cold water. Really "this hook up" is doing the job, but I don't like this installation and besides, in this area, most of the water pipes - galvanized - had been replaced and for sure this house will follow. I never did this kind of "bonding" installation with the exception of some receptacles. I am wonder if the EI approved this installation. I am been too picky, Do I? Any opinion?
 
Yes, the size is okay, my worry is that the bond is beyond the 5', also if the pipe change to plastic, then that panel will lose the bond. Was not a better idea to bring the 4 wires to it? What section - I don't find it - allows a sub-panel bus to be bonded to the water pipe?
 
Esthy said:
Yes, the size is okay, my worry is that the bond is beyond the 5', also if the pipe change to plastic, then that panel will lose the bond. Was not a better idea to bring the 4 wires to it? What section - I don't find it - allows a sub-panel bus to be bonded to the water pipe?
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#6 is not Okay for a GEC for a 200 amp service. #4 is what is required. A #6 from the sub panel if in addition to a #4 from the main service is not a violation but it is not necessary. If the #6 is the only GEC then it is a violation.
 
Sorry Dennis and tryinghard, this "Spanglish" don't let me do a good wording. New Service Panel, 200 amps using water pipe as a main electrode and bonding to 2 rods. Existing old 100 amps Subpanel inside the house with 3 wires - 2 hots and one neutral. EC, instead of bringing 4 wires to the new service panel he installed a grounding bar - in the old subpanel - to separated the neutrals from the grounds and he ran a #6 as a bonding to the water heater cold pipe, leaving the old 3 wires feeder. The pipe, where he bonded the #6 is about 25' from the main panel, meaning it is beyond the 5', but, also pretty soon the pipe will be replace for PEX and then the subpanel bond goes caputo. At the main panel won't be a problem, because when the pipe change to PEX the rods will be the main electrode. I tried to find what section of the NEC deals with the above situation and only find the receptacles.
 
Esthy said:
...Existing old 100 amps Subpanel inside the house with 3 wires - 2 hots and one neutral. EC, instead of bringing 4 wires to the new service panel he installed a grounding bar - in the old subpanel - to separated the neutrals from the grounds and he ran a #6 as a bonding to the water heater cold pipe, leaving the old 3 wires feeder. The pipe, where he bonded the #6 is about 25' from the main panel, meaning it is beyond the 5', but, also pretty soon the pipe will be replace for PEX and then the subpanel bond goes caputo. At the main panel won't be a problem, because when the pipe change to PEX the rods will be the main electrode. I tried to find what section of the NEC deals with the above situation and only find the receptacles.
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Sounds like the electrical contractor is trying to create an equipment ground path for the existing 3W 100A feeder circuit instead of installing an “equipment grounding conductor”.

The equipment grounding needs to follow the circuit route, I agree with George this is at least a 300.3(B) violation.

It is also a 250.118 violation, “The equipment grounding conductor run with or enclosing the circuit conductors…”

A water pipe is not listed in 250.118 as a type of EGC

The equipment ground has to follow the circuit just like the phase conductors.
 
The GEC needs to be at least #4 cu. If the water pipe remains conductive there is no other requirement to bond as per 250.104(A).

If the pipe becomes non-conductive in between the GEC and other conductive pipe it will have to be bonded as per 250.104(A).
 
Oh, I love you guys. Sorry it took too many words to try to communicate, but this is the price I pay for my Spanglish desability :). I doubt that installation and now that I am getting involved with the plumbing I have to fix that problem. BTW, how do you highlight (the blue) the quotes, when answer a post?
 
Esthy said:
BTW, how do you highlight (the blue) the quotes, when answer a post?
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Click the
quote.gif
in the bottom-right corner of the post you want to quote, delete whichever portion you don't want (like I did yours), and type away.
 
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