What is the conductor called run between Equipment grounding conductor and Grounding Electrode?

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x743

Member
Location
Raleigh
I have a parking lot light with a circuit running out to it. The pole will have a ground rod driven and attached to the EGC at the pole. What is this conductor called between the pole and equipment grounding conductor? One of the guys I work with will not call it the grounding electrode conductor because it does not go back to the service.

Thanks for the help.
 

winnie

Senior Member
Location
Springfield, MA, USA
Occupation
Electric motor research
Since that is a supplemental grounding electrode, it could arguably be an EGC (bonding a bit of conductive metal after the service) but I'd suggest 'supplemental grounding electrode conductor' or 'supplemental bonding conductor'
 

bwat

EE
Location
NC
Occupation
EE
Since that is a supplemental grounding electrode, it could arguably be an EGC (bonding a bit of conductive metal after the service) but I'd suggest 'supplemental grounding electrode conductor' or 'supplemental bonding conductor'
We call it something similar to these. It is a good question, because it doesn't fit neatly into any of the usual categories. Something like 'bonding jumper' or 'grounding jumper' I've even seen.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
I agree that it does not meet the Article 100 definition of a GEC. Since the electrode in question is by definition an auxiliary grounding electrode I would call it an auxiliary GEC. Maybe we need a new definition.

250.54 Auxiliary Grounding Electrodes. One or more grounding electrodes shall be permitted to be connected to the equipment grounding conductors specified in 250.118 and shall not be required to comply with the electrode bonding requirements of 250.50 or 250.53(C) or the resistance requirements of 250.53(A)(2) Exception, but the earth shall not be used as an effective ground-fault current path as specified in 250.4(A)(5) and 250.4(B)(4).
 

Tulsa Electrician

Senior Member
Location
Tulsa
Occupation
Electrician
GEC(AS)
Grounding
Electrode
Conductor
Auxiliary /supplementary
#6 cu max


PBC
Pole
Bonding
Conductor
#6 cu max
This would bond the pole to the earth. This way it will meet intent of the code.

Think about it this way. Do we not tie( terminate on the same bar) our EGC from the primary side in a transformer to the SBJ, SSBJ and GEC. Outside a building all we have is the supplementary rule if others not available. Either way rod /no rod there can be a chance of unwanted currents. I say ground and bond. Better safe than sorry.

Using a PBC we can have a way to make sure the person's installing/ using messenger to supply power to a pole light will bond this to the pole and then to earth. I have seen this when an underground went bad and they strung between poles installing a weather head. Yep two wires out the head.
Then the verbage can be added to insure compliance for such installations. Wood pole with branch/ Fedders for support of over head conductors.
Just a few thought on it.
 
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