FALSE.
"Metal water piping systems installed in or attached to a building or structure shall be bonded to the service equipment enclosure, the grounded conductor at the service, the grounding electrode conductor where of sufficient size, or to the one or more grounding electrods used." [2005 NEC, Article 250.104(A)(1)]
Nothing there about "at least 10 feet". Nothing there about it being in contact with the ground at all. Just "shall be bonded".
Yes, you are. All metal water piping is required to be bonded to the electrical system ground. Period.
Okie Dokie.
I am going to drive another ground rod and bond it where the panel is attached to the water line.
Thanks everyone.
Also make arrangements to have other utilities grounded to that new earth ground or make a buried interconnection so that all other utilities share the same earth ground (as demonstrated a utility in
I'm not sure what you gain with another rod at that point. If I was adding rods I would add to the system at the electric service. The water pipe has to be bonded - a wire connection to the grounding electrode system for the power.
I don't remember what you said about the well. If you have an accessible pipe that attaches to the well casing, adding that to your grounding electrode system would be a good idea. (Or connect directly to the casing - but I remember you are not fond of the access.)
-- bud--
I didn't want to get into it because I don't type very well, but since you asked........
After tracking down my water piping I found that the electrical service is being bonded at a point where the well piping enters the house. The pump is located under the house. The piping for the well is some kind of rubber tubing. It looks like the house was never properly grounded. I hope there is another grounding point somewhere, but I don't see any signs of it.
The electrical panel has 1 number 6 leaving the panel at the top. I can only assume it goes over a door and then into the crawlspace.
Here is a sketch of what I have found.
Because the house has a partial basement, the pit is 8 ft deep under the house which makes it the most practical place to drive a ground rod.
6 AWG wire to water pipe 'bonds' water pipe - to remove fault current (electricity) from water pipes. Code requires an electrode for earthing (even if water pipe did have buried conductive pipe). Code also says that earthing connection (for human safety) must be less than 20 feet. Code also wants telephone protector, cable TV coax, etc bonded 'less than 20 feet' to that new electrode.
Better is an electrode that grounds without sharp bends, 'less than
10 feet', that is easily connected to cable and telephone service, that uses a wire separated from all other wires, and can be inspected. Some may drill a hole and drive that electrode through concrete floor to exceed code requirements. How far away is that pit? More than 20 feet? Too far - would not be code acceptable.
Sometimes the well casing provides earthing. A closer inspection is required. What is that wire actually attached to and how is that connection accomplished? Device that bonds 6 AWG wire must be 'listed' to make that connection. 6 AWG wire would connect to interior copper pipe and to well casing. If so, both connections must use a 'listed' connecting devices as indicated by a marking on that connecting device.
If the water service pipe is 10 foot or more buried metal it is
*required* to be used as an *earthing electrode*. A *supplemental* electrode is required because water pipe may be replaced with plastic in the future.The size of the wire to a water pipe electrode is determined by the size of the electrical service conductors. #6 is too small for residential services of 200A. #6 wire must be "free from exposure to physical damage". #4 must be "protected where exposed to physical damage". #4 is often used instead of #6.
The NEC has no requirement for length from power system to earthing electrode.
New electrode?
The NEC required bonding is to anywhere on the electrode *system*.
For 1 and 2 family dwellings, the wire from phone NID to power earthing electrode *system* can be over 20 feet, but a ground rod must be add at the phone NID. The bond wire from phone ground rod to power electrode system must be at least #6. If less than 20 feet the wire only has to be #14.
20 feet is too long to provide a single point ground.-- bud--
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