Pole bases and grounding

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wrobotronic

wrobotronic

Senior Member
Location
Colorado
Hi all,
is there a specific requirement in the NEC regarding the cages of pole bases having to be bonded/grounded (not sure what word to use here.) to the equipment ground for the fixtures? I have always "just done it" and have never really known if it's required. As an electrician I always thought it was for lightning protection and never questioned it. Thank for your help.
Finally, should I put this post into the NEC forum?
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Unless the pole happens to be suppled by a feeder instead of a branch circuit the NEC does not require any grounding electrode and never requires bonding the cage.

However both are common job specifications.
 
wrobotronic

wrobotronic

Senior Member
Location
Colorado
I really enjoy that this forum is here. Thanks again iwire. It is nice to be able to verify my assumptions before I just go failing people. Which, as a new inspector, I have seen people be terrified of me and also combative because I'm new. So unless I can verify something in the NEC I don't argue about it, I just verify it. Which is where this forum comes in. I have stated on numerous occasions that while my initial judgments are correct, it is nice to have that verification from here, at least until I have done this for some years and I "know everything" and then its my way or else type of attitude... J/k I will NEVER know it all, I just hope to know where to find it. And I also hope to help facilitate a change in the perception ECs have. Thank you again.
 
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1964element

Senior Member
Location
Chicago
wrobotronic said:
Hi all,
is there a specific requirement in the NEC regarding the cages of pole bases having to be bonded/grounded (not sure what word to use here.) to the equipment ground for the fixtures? I have always "just done it" and have never really known if it's required. As an electrician I always thought it was for lightning protection and never questioned it. Thank for your help.
Finally, should I put this post into the NEC forum?
Click to expand...
We always put a ground rod in every pole base but do not bond the cage.
We also put in a inline fuse.

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk
 
wrobotronic

wrobotronic

Senior Member
Location
Colorado
charlie b said:
Please don't. We don't allow the same question or discussion to be included in more than one topic area. We always delete duplicate threads.
Click to expand...
Sorry Charlieb, I should have stated to put it there instead of here, not in both.
Thank you...

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
C

curt swartz

Electrical Contractor - San Jose, CA
Location
San Jose, CA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I don't get involved with public works street lighting and traffic signals. In my area they always install ground clamps on each bolt with a #8 wire looped through them and bonded to the pole. I always say to myself "another waste of taxpayer money". I'm sure the resistance of the nuts connecting the bolts to the pole base is less that the small contact area of the ground clamps.
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
electrofelon said:
Thay seems silly. I'll bet making the cage an UFER would be a much "better" ground than a rod and save you $10.
Click to expand...

I would say that fact a the pole is bolted to the j-bolts in the concrete you have a great earth connection without doing anything more.

It's literally like adding an electrode to an electrode.
 
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