Well casing.

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nizak

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I installed a 200 amp service at a new build.

I've got 2 ground rods 6' apart and have come from the main service with a #4 Cu conductor to the rods.( I realize this could be #6 but had 4 on the truck)

The Service load center is located in the garage. I've got a 100 amp sub feed to the basement .

At the time I installed the service there were no other grounding electrodes present. I was told that the well at the opposite end of the house was going to be entering the dwelling in plastic pipe.

Now I get back 3 months later and the well comes into the house in copper pipe.

Does code require that I now make the well casing connected by copper pipe part of the GEC ?

Or can I just bond the pipe to the EGC in the sub panel?

Getting a GEC back to the Service in the garage would be difficult at best.

Thanks
 
Is the garage attached? The well casing is allowed to be used as a ground electrode, but not required to be. How long is the copper water pipe? If it has less than 10 feet in contact with earth, it is not a grounding electrode.
 
Not many well casings installed today are metallic either. Top portion that sticks out of the ground may be metallic for durability, but the rest of the casing is usually non metallic anymore. This top portion usually no more than six feet into the ground around here, and often is also a "pitless adapter" assembly for transitioning from well to underground piping system. If this metallic section of the casing contains the conductors to a submersible pump motor it should still be bonded to the EGC of the circuit, but it generally is not a qualifying grounding electrode. And even if it is qualifying, it geneally not required to be used as often it is not part of a structure but rather is a stand alone item isolated out there in the yard. Which basically means it is not required to be used as an electrode, not that you can't use it if you wanted to.
 
Interesting question. Years ago, it was pointed out that I couldn't prove that an existing incoming metallic pipe was metal for 10' or longer, to qualify as an electrode.

Here, you could argue the inspector can't prove that your metallic pipe is 10' or longer, that it does qualify as one.
 
If the well is more than10' from the structure and the water pipe entering the structure is copper is it reasonable to assume that the copper pipe is more 10' long and therefore qualifies as an electrode?
 
infinity said:
If the well is more than10' from the structure and the water pipe entering the structure is copper is it reasonable to assume that the copper pipe is more 10' long and therefore qualifies as an electrode?
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That's what I was addressing in post #4. I'd say no, but upon whom is the burden of proof?
 
It's not reasonable to assume anything about underground work unless you see it before it's covered. Underground work is full of surprises.
And even if it is copper today, there's no assurance that it won't be replaced with non-metallic pipe in the future.
 
drcampbell said:
It's not reasonable to assume anything about underground work unless you see it before it's covered. Underground work is full of surprises.
And even if it is copper today, there's no assurance that it won't be replaced with non-metallic pipe in the future.
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I guess that if it's copper on both ends then it would be reasonable to assume that it's continuous but who knows. The NEC already has future replacement covered by requiring a supplemental electrode for the water pipe.
 
Let me see, if I walk into a customers home and it seems that one day he was board and decided to drive a metal pipe into the ground, now I'm responsible to call it a grounding electrode and bring a gec from it back to my panel???

I would think bonding of piping systems 250.104 would come into play though.

250.104 (A)(1)(1)and(2).... wouldn't bonding to the subpanel ground which is bonded to the service equipment satisfy that requirement?
 
ritelec said:
Let me see, if I walk into a customers home and it seems that one day he was board and decided to drive a metal pipe into the ground, now I'm responsible to call it a grounding electrode and bring a gec from it back to my panel???

I would think bonding of piping systems 250.104 would come into play though.

250.104 (A)(1)(1)and(2).... wouldn't bonding to the subpanel ground which is bonded to the service equipment satisfy that requirement?
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250.104 isn't about grounding electrodes though, it does require bonding of metal piping systems.

A length of pipe that is driven into the ground but not conveying any materials through it isn't exactly a piping system. It can be considered a rod/pipe electrode though. And yes as worded it kind of sort of needs to be used as an electrode if present. That said there are many ground rods that have been abandoned and replaced with other rods, pipes, etc. to be used as an electrode.
 
ritelec said:
Let me see, if I walk into a customers home and it seems that one day he was board and decided to drive a metal pipe into the ground, now I'm responsible to call it a grounding electrode and bring a gec from it back to my panel???
Click to expand...
I'd say not, unless someone can prove how long it is and meets electrode requirements.
 
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