City Building Codes

[Sean Troy]

Here's one I don't get. Running the ground from the meter base, you normally run to an 8ft. ground rod sunk in the groud. Here we have to use 2 8ft. ground rods 5 ft. apart. Anyone else have to do this?

[Jim Becker]

Yes, that's code. When I updated my service back a few years ago, two new rods went in the ground more or less 5' apart.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Safety in numbers. What is likely hood of TWO bonding wires getting damaged? Often in remodels we find bonding wire broken/ missing. Worst is cable guy fasting to bonding wire, then overtightening clamp and breaking ground wire. Also underground locator guy forgetting to reconnect the ground wire.

[Rob Russell]

The point of the multiple ground rods is to lower the resistance. According to the NEC (250.56 Resistance of Rod, Pipe and Plate Electrodes), if the resistance of a single electrode is greater than 25 ohms, you must install a second electrode. It also says that multiple electrodes are to be installed at least 6 feet apart.

[Jim Kountz]

Hmm here we also need two rods but they must be at least six feet apart from each other.

Edit: just saw Robs post, ours reads the same as he said.

[Mike Hood]

We have similar code requirements here in Washington. Some times the cable guys just drop a new ground rod to avoid the liability.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

We have the same type of code here. We also don't have much top soil and a lot of rock. The electrical inspector told me to rent a hammer drill and use a socket to drive them. The first one went to the hilt in about 90 seconds. I thought this is a piece of cake!:D WRONG! I put the 2nd in the ground over 10 different places before I found a place where it would go all the way into the ground. When I pour the pad in front of my shop, it'll be covered. I asked the electrical inspector..."No Problem!"

The hammer drill and socket works very well BTW!

[Jeffrey Makiel]

The first one went to the hilt in about 90 seconds.

Ken...maybe because it was driven into the septic tank?! :)

-Jeff :)

[Eric Gustafson]

We also have the same requirement in Arizona. I upgraded my electric and had to have one within 6 feet of the panel and one within 6 feet of the water pipe and bonded there.

[Bill Wyko]

The power company is coming out this friday to switch my 100 amp pannel to my 200 amp pannel. We had to do the dual ground to pass inspection too.

[Warren Clemans]

The guy who wrote one of theTaunton books on wiring advocates sinking as many grounding electrodes as possible (within reason, of course). He thinks there's no such thing as too little resistance. When switching over my 60A panel to 200A, I sank 2 rods in addition to connecting to the steel water pipe.

The original panel was only connected to the water pipe. At some point, the former owners had painted the portion of the pipe that extends into the basement living space. They disconnected the pipe clamp, carefully painted it inside and out, and left it dangling there in the basement. That's right--our house had NO GROUND for the first couple of years that we lived there. I mentioned that to the inspector and he just shook his head... We used to burn out lots of light bulbs. I assume the lack of ground was somehow the cause, but who knows. Fortunately no one got electrocuted.

I did the house panel upgrade so that I could run a 100A sub panel to my shop. Got lots of good advice on SMC. Not at all difficult if you get a good book and follow instructions.

[Von Bickley]

In central SC, we use one 8 ft. ground rod.......

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ken...maybe because it was driven into the septic tank?! :)

-Jeff :)
I hope not......We have a sewar system!....Hey here in Idaho we even have the internet!:D