Ground rod

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infinity

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
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Journeyman Electrician
As Bob said #8 but that would require protection from physical damage so using #6 might be easier.
 
MasterTheNEC

MasterTheNEC

CEO and President of Electrical Code Academy, Inc.
Location
McKinney, Texas
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CEO
@Old Man Moderator - Ok...im just teasing you now.....get your finger off the BAN button.....don't you do it.....doooonnn't you dooooo ittt !
 
wyreman

wyreman

Senior Member
Location
SF CA USA
Occupation
electrical contractor
Some say you can just land your ground rod number six onto the GEC at the cold water pipe 5'. Some say you have to bring it all the way to the BuSsbar


In belief, man can do anything
 
wyreman

wyreman

Senior Member
Location
SF CA USA
Occupation
electrical contractor
Also in San Francisco I always see number 4 stranded green run without any protection and held down by romex Staples

passes inspection every time


In belief, man can do anything
 
infinity

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
wyreman said:
Some say you can just land your ground rod number six onto the GEC at the cold water pipe 5'. Some say you have to bring it all the way to the BuSsbar


In belief, man can do anything
Click to expand...

A bonging jumper from the rod to the water pipe or the GEC running to the water pipe is permitted, no need to run it all of the way back to the service disconnect.
 
jxofaltrds

jxofaltrds

Inspector Mike®
Location
Mike P. Columbus Ohio
Occupation
ESI, PI, RBO
infinity said:
As Bob said #8 but that would require protection from physical damage so using #6 might be easier.
Click to expand...

(B) Securing and Protection Against Physical Damage.
Where exposed, a grounding electrode conductor or its enclosure
shall be securely fastened to the surface on which it
is carried. Grounding electrode conductors shall be permitted
to be installed on or through framing members. A 4
AWG or larger copper or aluminum grounding electrode
conductor shall be protected if exposed to physical damage.
A 6 AWG grounding electrode conductor that is free from
exposure to physical damage shall be permitted to be run
along the surface of the building construction without metal
covering or protection if it is securely fastened to the construction;
otherwise, it shall be protected in rigid metal
conduit (RMC), intermediate metal conduit (IMC), rigid
polyvinyl chloride conduit (PVC), reinforced thermosetting
resin conduit (RTRC), electrical metallic tubing (EMT), or
cable armor. Grounding electrode conductors smaller than 6
AWG shall be protected in RMC, IMC, PVC, RTRC, EMT,
or cable armor.

I think almost all GEC to a ground rod (that I have seen) are subject to physical damage but have never turned an installation down.
 
infinity

infinity

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Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
jxofaltrds said:
(B) Securing and Protection Against Physical Damage.
Where exposed, a grounding electrode conductor or its enclosure
shall be securely fastened to the surface on which it
is carried. Grounding electrode conductors shall be permitted
to be installed on or through framing members. A 4
AWG or larger copper or aluminum grounding electrode
conductor shall be protected if exposed to physical damage.
A 6 AWG grounding electrode conductor that is free from
exposure to physical damage shall be permitted to be run
along the surface of the building construction without metal
covering or protection if it is securely fastened to the construction;
otherwise, it shall be protected in rigid metal
conduit (RMC), intermediate metal conduit (IMC), rigid
polyvinyl chloride conduit (PVC), reinforced thermosetting
resin conduit (RTRC), electrical metallic tubing (EMT), or
cable armor. Grounding electrode conductors smaller than 6
AWG shall be protected in RMC, IMC, PVC, RTRC, EMT,
or cable armor.

I think almost all GEC to a ground rod (that I have seen) are subject to physical damage but have never turned an installation down.
Click to expand...


Since an unprotected #6 to the rod(s) is an almost universal norm I would say that most disagree with your assessment about physical damage. :)
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
wyreman said:
Some say you can just land your ground rod number six onto the GEC at the cold water pipe 5'. Some say you have to bring it all the way to the BuSsbar


In belief, man can do anything
Click to expand...
If the water pipe is a grounding electrode then that is true. The conductor from the water pipe is the GEC, the conductor to the ground rod is a bonding jumper.

Same applies to other elecrodes, only one of them needs the GEC run to it, and other elecrodes can be connected via bonding jumpers.
That said, you have to run the larger conductor required as the GEC, meaning you can not run a 6AWG GEC to the ground rod and then a bonding jumper that is required to be larger from the rod to the water pipe.
 
jxofaltrds

jxofaltrds

Inspector Mike®
Location
Mike P. Columbus Ohio
Occupation
ESI, PI, RBO
infinity said:
Since an unprotected #6 to the rod(s) is an almost universal norm I would say that most disagree with your assessment about physical damage. :)
Click to expand...

Rob

Any idea how many I see damaged/disconnected because of the individuals that mow/trim the yard?

IMHO the 'acorn' is the weakest link! Thoughts?
 
jxofaltrds

jxofaltrds

Inspector Mike®
Location
Mike P. Columbus Ohio
Occupation
ESI, PI, RBO
infinity said:
:D

The rod and the GEC/bonding jumper should be invisible. :)
Click to expand...

If you think he is joking read this:

(A) Rod, Pipe, and Plate Electrodes. Rod, pipe, and plate
electrodes shall meet the requirements of 250.53(A)(1)
through (A)(3).
(1) Below Permanent Moisture Level. If practicable, rod,
pipe, and plate electrodes shall be embedded below permanent
moisture level. Rod, pipe, and plate electrodes shall be
free from nonconductive coatings such as paint or enamel.

LOL now what does that mean?????
 
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