Thanks Marc, this also coincides with what my Electricians on my job told me today.
Very interesting, and here you go, I have just learned something new.
This board is amazing source of education, wouldn’t you say?
Marcel 
Yes!
Read this IAEI article for more information that helps to explain the grounding requirements for building electrical systems.
lol…ok never mind…I am sure HI’s will see alot fo aluminum GEC’s with missle shaped protectors in their home inspection ventures…lol
Alas…we forget…we are teaching on things HI’s will see…not what electricians will see.
I will defer all questions to the other electricians…I lost my drive to educate today…
Besides…I got a house to finish wiring…later Brothers…
“Alas…we forget…we are teaching on things HI’s will see…not what electricians will see.”
Incredible!
Hi Sparks,
Thanks for interjecting some rationality here, I saw not much wrong with Pauls question, I for one have never seen an AL conductor being used as a ground, but thats just me.
Lets concentrate on teaching Home inspectors how to recognise basic electrical deficiencies and leave the semantics over on Mike Holts board where they belongs.
Regards
Gerry
Whats the matter sparks…you do not AGREE…Gerry that was MY statement to which Mr. Sparks copied…and simply added " incredible"
It seems…I don’t have a FAN in Mr. Sparks…lol…it’s all good…not here to make friends…lol…only to educate.
I am trying my DANGED to get him to simply place my username on IGNORE but alas…it has not happened…thehehehhehe
I’m very sorry, Paul. I have grown to like you, but I must respectfully point out one thing…
If an electrician has “seen” something, it seems perfectly reasonable to assume that a home inspector will at also observe the same thing at some point in time. Wouldn’t you agree? Maybe my commentary includes more information than is necessary, but from the PM’s that I rack up on a daily basis, I can only assume that it is helpful (or at least interesting) to some users.
As I have encouraged you in private, and now in public… please disregard the past troubles with other users. I am genuinely here to help you in the best way I know how to. Maybe I don’t know how to yet, but I’m trying very hard.
So what’s the answer ???
Ahh…Marc…I was not refering to you in my previous response.
Look…If the NACHI members would prefer to not have me assist them I am more than happy to not do so. I have WAY more on my plate than I need and to be honest with you…could careless.
Nothing has to be in private with me…the QOD was designed for a PURPOSE…and it is limited…however you MUST give the original poster time to explain the post in the end and to use it as an educational tool.
Do you think I water the terms down here because I want to…?
My post was not flawed…it was designed to bring questions from HI’s on issues I stated in my response.
You have to understand the method to the madness…many times the questions are to bring out issue we can use at the END of the voting session to use to educate the HI…chances are slim HI’s are going to see alot of GEC’s that are aluminum…and if they do…they may know how to deal with them but in the limited time we have per day…before a new QOD starts we are trying to deal with the basics here.
As for your helping…think your doing a WONDERFUL job…I have no monopoly on helping these guys…hell if they dont want my help I have plenty of places I can be as you do as well…
AS for PM’s…You must be doing a better job at educating them than I am…because I dont get many…most of mine are calls or e-mails…so with that said…have at it fella…more than happy to let you take care of it…
AS for Mr. Sparks…sir you are simply a troublemaker and WAY out of line…from your BLAH on being old…get over it…all my information posted is foundational SOLID and CORRECT…so before you start spreading your FEBAL crap…think about it for a second.
Marc you are doing fine…I do have a life BEYOND this…as do you and remember helping is what we do…but being RAM-RODED by some home improvement wannabe is NOT what I call helping.
I dont take any of this too serious…and certainly not from a NON-NACHI member like Mr. Sparks.
Here you go Brian…Mr. Sparks can explain the rest…he is a wise one…
http://www.nachi.org/forum/showpost.php?p=143125&postcount=10
I’ve only gotten one phonecall so far, at it was at 10pm. I summarily let the caller know that I wasn’t very pleased about the hour he chose to call. At my house, if the phone rings after 9pm, my heart skips a beat. Somebody must be in the hospital, I immediately think. At least we had a pleasant talk.
You know I used to think that also Marc…still do to a point but now most call on my cell…and not the home phone…only Mr. Decker calls on my home phone…lol…and I enjoy chatting with him so it’s all good.
Brian, the best answer for Home inspectors evaluating residential supply is 6awg Copper.
BTW I am pleased to see that over 60% of board users got it right, hopefully the others have learned from the question, that is the intent.
Regards
Gerry
No, no. That’s it’s not my intention to run you out of town. I thought it would be helpful to add and/or slightly modify your comments. You’re doing just fine. I certainly don’t have the time to respond to posts at all hours of the day and night. You are doing a good job of that. NACHI needs you. I just thought it would be helpful to interject some extra comments along the way when I have the time. Certainly, as I’m sure you would agree, that some degree of moderation is a good thing.
That’s what I thought Gerry, thanx.
I think I have seem AL grounding conductors in some mid 60’s homes but I do not have a picture.
Paul, keep the questions comming big aged guy.
Now I am offended.( not really )…AGED…man…you have insulted me as I am not a day over 21…
Marc…keep em’ coming…just remember I may have a method to my posting style to help bring out questions…BUT as I said before…you are doing a WONDERFUL job…most excellent…
Man…I am most certainly going to loose SLEEP tonight…being called AGED…DANG it…Brian…you have harmed my feelings…thehehehehe:mrgreen:
=; In regards to HI and grounding, the ground rod wires should be copper. No assumption is even required. Aluminum, moisture and direct contact to the earth just isn’t a good thing. Corrosion will be rampant in short order…
Whomever commented (and I’m not sure who it was at this point) that the QOD was “flawed”, I neednt remind you that educating others is an art, and not a science. Many times, questions can be characterized as “flawed”, and done so by design.
This is akin to “find the most correct answer”. The point is that, I believe, is that the purpose of the question was to encourage discussion, and debate. That is an excellent learning tool, whether participating or meerly reading.
I find it most intereting how Mr. Shunk spends most days searching these forums, and Mr. Sparky (funny name for an electrician) is johnny on the spot.
So, for our Mr. Sparks, who is a NYC electician, what do you think was one of the most radical changes made to the rules regarding electrical wiring in NYC over the past 30 years.
Inquiring minds want to know.
As to the Shunker, as I affectionately call him, which is your reall avater? Is it this one, another one, or the photo of Charles Manson you used on that old forum you used to post on. BTW… nice tie.
You also fail to mention than in many instances, the electrcian simply throws the ground rod into the open trench, alongside the footing. Now, as I understand it, some municipalities (like the State of NJ, I believe) will require that the ground be tied into the re-rods in the footings, and provide an attachment point inside the dwelling.
So, am I making this last statement up? Is is accurate? Is it completely accurate?
I think this has been effect for a while, 2005 NEC (summarized):
250.50 “all grounding electrodes(250.52A1-250.52A6), if present, shall be bonded”
250a3 is “concrete encased electrode”
I don’t know how old this is, but it’s in my 2002NEC book.
tom
Were you thinking that I actually look like Manson? :mrgreen: I appreciate your sense of humor. So, which one do you think is the real one? 
Thank you for the compliment on the tie. My mother bought it for me, in 1973. After all these years, it’s still in style. I graduated from a private school, so a tie is second nature. I had a press release photo taken last year for some magazine articles I wrote (only cost 45 bucks). This is that photo. It’s not my “every day” dress, I can assure you. You’re lucky if you see me clean shaven most days.