Ground routing in pole shed

[snake_plisskin]

Hey everyone, I’m currently having a 30x40 pole shed built and I am going to install a 100 amp sub panel in the building myself. I am planning on running 1/0-1/0-1/0-2 aluminum wire through a 2” conduit that will go through the concrete floor (floor not poured yet).

I’m going to install 2 ground rods outside the building and run #6 copper to those rods from the sub panel. One thing I’m not sure about though is how to get that copper wire from the box to the rods. Ideally I would run that wire in the same 2” pvc conduit as the feeder cable. I wound then pound the ground rods in the same trench as the feeder cable too. Are there any issues with doing that? My goal here is to run things through the floor to the outside so I don’t have any conduit showing above ground.

 

[HeavyD1]

I just did exactly what you are describing except I ran the ground adjacent to the feeder conduit, I put it through a small piece of conduit until I got to the bottom of the trench. Comes up next to the feeder conduit and will go right in the panel. Two rods in the trench.

 

[Jim greengo]

If it's a sub panel it should have a 4 wire feed already,no need for extra rods.

 

[bighouse01]

If it's a sub panel it should have a 4 wire feed already,no need for extra rods.

I tried that. Got yelled at by the electrical inspector. Detached buildings/accessory building here in NY need their own rods. 8 feet long, 6 feet apart. I’m grounded at the garage and back to the house.....

 

[Jim greengo]

Did you ask him if it was a local thing,or just something he came up with?

 

[snake_plisskin]

Yeah the ground rods are a requirement around here for a detached building

 

[snake_plisskin]

I just did exactly what you are describing except I ran the ground adjacent to the feeder conduit, I put it through a small piece of conduit until I got to the bottom of the trench. Comes up next to the feeder conduit and will go right in the panel. Two rods in the trench.

Did you run the smaller conduit all the way up to the box? Any chance you have some pics?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

If it's a sub panel it should have a 4 wire feed already, no need for extra rods.

umm what?

the EGC in a feeder does not replace a grounding electrode. 2 different animals and both are required for a detached structure.

theyre required by code

 

[Jim greengo]

umm what?

the EGC in a feeder does not replace a grounding electrode. 2 different animals and both are required for a detached structure.

theyre required by code

Was thinking about something else,its an old age thing.

 

[dmcintosh]

When I built my pole building, I came through the floor with conduit to feed the panel as you've described, and then ran my ground rods 'inside' the building around the perimeter, leaving them high enough to still be exposed after the floor was finished. I didn't want to have the rods outside where they would be in the way. My inspector didn't say anything and I passed.

Where I may have gone astray, is that i did eventually finish my interior, so my grounding rods found themselves inside the wall cavity.

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

Did you ask him if it was a local thing,or just something he came up with?

It’s in the NEC....... 250:32

 

[HeavyD1]

Did you run the smaller conduit all the way up to the box? Any chance you have some pics?

I did not run the small conduit all the way to the box, just to get the ground through the floor. I have pics, but I am not able to figure out how to attach them because the site seems to want a link for a picture versus uploading.

 

[HeavyD1]

I think I figured out the picture thing, should be attached.

 

[csp]

Why don't you just run your ground wire outside at the location where the panel is located?

Not sure why you'd want to run it through conduit just to get it to the same side the supply is coming in.

 

[snake_plisskin]

Thanks everyone. After looking at it more I don’t think I’m going to run the ground wire in the feeder conduit. I will run it outside the conduit and exit the building.

I did install the feeder conduit today and the concrete is supposed to be poured on Tuesday. Since it will be going through the concrete floor I had to backfill around the conduit and the elbow where it turns horizontal. I can’t leave it uncovered until the rough-in inspection as that is a ways off. Will this be an issue with the inspector? The horizontal portion of the conduit is still visible in the trench outside the building but the portion under the building is obviously covered now.

 

[HeavyD1]

I don't know about your area, but I spoke to my inspector prior to filling in the trench and he was good with filling it in given that the floor needed to be poured before I could finish the electrical to the point of inspection. I did take plenty of pictures and my inspector was good with it when I explained it.

 

[nadogail]

If your floor has not yet been poured, find out if you can use a UFER ground.

 

[line guy]

a few pics. In new york 2 ground rods tied into ground bar in sub panel. #4 copper 1/2 conduit to go just outside barn.

 

[acer66]

What was the reason to stop short with pvc pipe instead of going into the panel?

 

[OneOfEm]

Look up Ufer ground, for sure. It's done prior to the pour, so if it works in your area, now is the time.