Grounding Rod Info

This coupling is equivalent to the equipment grounding wire, and may even replace the equipment grounding wire if the conduit is hard metal (not flex) and effectively bonded to the service panel or neutral. If these two panels are side by side, then I'm not sure if you're allowed to have it be a second service panel or not. You definitely could if the meter was double lugged and a service conductor went to each. If a breaker in the first panel is feeding the second panel a few inches away, I'm not sure if that forces it to be a subpanel or not...I'm leaning towards it having to be a subpanel, but I can't prove my case.

If this second panel must be a subpanel, then in it you'd need a grounding bus that is bonded to the 1.5" conduit and the neutral bus would have to be insulated from the panel chassis.

-- Mark Kent, WA

Mark,

oh no, not another tangent... lol. (generator) I was wrong about the panelboard. It's actually rated at 200A and the breaker is 200, not 100. I'm still considering an upgrade to 200A. Because the panelboard is rated for 200, if I upgrade to 200, I could skip the first disconnect which might be the cost effective way to go. This would mean about a 5 foot run from the outside meter to the panelboard. If I did this, I'm guessing I'd just run all my GEC and other grounds from the ground bus bar. I might check back with you guys on a few things, but I've got enough to get to work now and I think I'll let this thread die.

Oh, but I am still wondering about that ground conductor going from the Service Disconnect to my water meter and pipe (from the inside of the house). Is it bad for the bare conductor to contact armored cable (bx) or metal duct work? Knowing the answer will make a big difference in the amount of work I have to do to run the wire.

Thanks for all your help and advice.

So your 100A disconnect is required. A single disconnect can not be greater than the size of the service, so a 100A breaker had to be placed in front of the 200A panel main. And right again, if you upgrade to 200, just remove that 100A disconnect box and go straight to the 200A panel you already have.

No, it is not bad. Those things should already be grounded by the circuit that feeds them. Those items touching the GEC won't change anything. If you just don't like doing that, you can run insulated wire, but you'll need to color it green (use tape or paint) where it is exposed. If you're planning on a 200A upgrade at some point, run a #4 copper GEC to the water pipe. Otherwise, you'll need to upsize it when you upgrade the service.

-- Mark Kent, WA

understood.

In my case it will be MUCH easier if I don't have to worry about the GEC touching the ducts.

That's it for me on this thread. Thanks!