I am an InterNACHI student and I have a question. My grounding electrode conductor runs from my meter base to a driven rod on the outside of my home. My main service panel that houses my main disconnect is on the interior wall about 5’ north of my meter base. Since my neutrals and grounds are bonded in the service panel shouldn’t there be a grounding electrode conductor from this panel to the meter? From the meter to my service panel I have 2 ungrounded and 1 grounded service entrance conductors, but no grounding electrode wire between them. Does this situation use the service grounded conductor to carry faults to the meter then to the rod or am I missing a grounding electrode wire between them. Thanks for all who can help me with this question!
The GEC can connect to the system neutral at any point from the service disconnect to the service point, that would include within the meter enclosure. What you do not want is a 4th conductor run from the meter to the panel as it will be in parallel with the neutral.
Is there a breaker at first point of disconnect ?
Green bonding screw comes into my mind here.
I don’t have a problem putting in as many eg I feel comfortable with. However on my home I have 6 ground rods in series at six foot intervals. It all depends on the soil and the water table.
This is more of a question than an answer for the fine folks here. If I am understanding correctly the utility company takes care of the meter. There needs to be a grounding conductor ran from the main panel to a grounding rod and an suplementry or a ufer and then the water and gas needs to be bonded to the grounding bar in the panel as well. Am I correct or mistaken? If I am correct that will probably answer his question as well.
It does read in the -How to Perform Residential Electrical Inspections course- that the GEC may run from the meter OR the service panel, so grounding from the meter seems correct according to this but I just wasn’t sure if there should have been a GEC to from the service panel to the meter then ground. I do not have any gas lines or copper pipe in my house to bond to the service panel as you have asked( I have PEX water lines and electric heat pump/appliances).
Mr. Meier responded earlier that----The GEC can connect to the system neutral at any point from the service disconnect to the service point, that would include within the meter enclosure. What you do not want is a 4th conductor run from the meter to the panel as it will be in parallel with the neutral.
Kind of makes sense but I need to verify.
In some areas the meter enclosure is locked and the GEC connection point is not accessible so it cannot be in the meter enclosure because accessibility is required by the NEC. Around here the utility doesn’t allow the connection to be in there at all, even though it’s the most convenient place to connect ground rods. Here’s a graphic from Mike Holt to go along with my first post and an applicable code section.
Thank you Robert for the info and graphic. My meter base IS locked and that’s where the GEC connection is to ground rod. If I see that situation now on future inspections I will note it in my report. I will have to ask my local AHJ about this(Orlando, FL) Thank you.
You’re welcome. From an installers perspective the meter enclosure is more convenient for terminating ground rods, but as I stated around here we cannot land them there due to the prohibition by the POCO.