simpler=better
Well-known member
If I bury my rigid metal conduit 6' underground, can that be used as the ground rod?
No ground rod?
- Thread starter simpler=better
- Start date
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
Thats a BIG NEGATIVE!
Pound 2 rods and be done with over thinking it!
Pound 2 rods and be done with over thinking it!
pman13
New member
Newbie here who is thinking of adding a subpanel in the garage. Why two rods? Is that code, because the last house I had with a subpanel 15 years ago only had one.
lakeroadster
Well-known member
manwithtools
ALLIANCE MEMBER
2 are required and they need to be minimum 6 feet apart, can be connect to Equipment Ground bar by the same 6 ga solid copper ground wire.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
Code actually only requires one but if it can be proved that rod to earth resistance is 25ohms or less, then a second rod is required.
Most folks dont have the expensive testing equipment so they just put in 2 rods.
manwithtools
ALLIANCE MEMBER
And most AHJ's would argue with you anyhow about one vs. two. Not worth the argument for the cost of the second rod.
Last edited:
Cmreschke
Well-known member
Fyi stranded #6 is fine too.
Speedy Petey
Well-known member
Ground rods are certainly NOT required. Grounding electrodes are. There are many different types of grounding electrodes.
IMO if you attach an external bonding clamp to two lengths of pipe that are completely buried that deep you are fine.
Am I missing something in the code that prohibits a feeder conduit from being used as an electrode?
OP
simpler=better
Well-known member
^^meant to add "theoretical" up there. Thanks for the responses 
checkthisout
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2008
- Messages
- 5,232
Easiest way is to put the rods in your feeder trench. Make a couple deeper depressions in your trench with your digging equipment so you have less pounding to do. Hook up your ground wire and backfill but leave the tops of rods exposed so the inspector can verify your connections.
Cmreschke
Well-known member
Speedy, my opinion, I don't see why it wouldn't either. However, are you going to run rigid at a bigger cost to save 20 bucks for ground rods?
manwithtools
ALLIANCE MEMBER
And unless you have a good relationship with AHJ, the $20 spent on the ground rods represents a good investment too.
While I do appreciate Speedy's explanation of the actual code, it has it's pitfalls. If you are a small time or DIY guy that rarely interacts with the local inspector, sometimes its just easier to provide what he expects to see rather than deliberate the finer points of the NEC with him.
If you are a pro that knows the inspector well, then he may listen to your educated opinion much more readily.
Just my thoughts, you mileage may vary.
OP
simpler=better
Well-known member
Good to know. It kind of popped into my head the other day. Not practical unless you have a bunch of rigid lying around and really like digging.
Speedy Petey
Well-known member
Definitely not, but the OP seems to have.
Speedy Petey
Well-known member
Horse poopy!
How do you know what the inspector "expects" to see??
I do, he expects to see a code complaint installation. Galvanized pipe, 3/4" size and larger, CAN be used as an electrode. This is not a grey area or a finer point of the code.
They did it for years, I see them all the time. It's just ground rods became the norm in many places so that's what you see now. I know some places use ground plates almost exclusively and ground rods would be looked at strangely.
By using a galvanized pipe for an electrode you are not somehow getting around some code or using some rare exception that would need to be explained as you are eluding to.
manwithtools
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Show me an inspector that knows the NEC like you do in every little po dunk county in the US and I'll show you a unicorn.
I'm only saying it's easier, not required. Please give me that acknowledgment. I'm not looking for agreement.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
I'm only saying it's easier, not required. Please give me that acknowledgment. I'm not looking for agreement.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
Cmreschke
Well-known member
I agree with the above statement that it can be used. It's just not practical. And I agree with arguing with the inspector on legal installations even if the install isn't to the norm. The code book is the code book. I can't stand the inspectors that want it only their way when the code might allow another way of doing something.
checkthisout
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2008
- Messages
- 5,232
I just reread this. Are you allowed to use the service feeder conduit for ground?
I mean, I understand that lightning wants to to earth but I think it would be dumb if NEC allowed you to use an underground feeder conduit for that purpose. Seems like there would be an unnecessarily high risk for damage to the conductors.
I mean, I understand that lightning wants to to earth but I think it would be dumb if NEC allowed you to use an underground feeder conduit for that purpose. Seems like there would be an unnecessarily high risk for damage to the conductors.