[RE-wrenches] Water Pipes as Grounding Electrodes

[Jason Szrom]

Ryan,



Equipment grounds (AC and DC) should be run as in traditional distribution systems.



In reference to the GEC, you must run a conductor from the Satcon to an acceptable ground electrode (250.52(A)). Usually this is the water main within 5ft of it's entrance to the building, but in tall buildings, it can be to building steel. There is an interesting exception to the 5ft rule in 250.52(A)(1) for industrial applications but this exception has been deleted in the NYC NEC amendments.



The GEC must be sized as per 250.66 or 250.166, whichever is larger.



Ground rods for buildings are not typically driven in NYC. Usually the building steel is bonded to the water main or in some cases a ground conductor ring is installed under the foundation and bonded to the base of all the building steel columns.



Regards,

Jason Szrom
Engineer
Solar Energy Systems, LLC
718-389-1545 x13



-----Original Message-----
From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Ryan LeBlanc
Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 1:55 AM
To: re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Water Pipes as Grounding Electrodes



Thanks guys,



Follow up:



When providing a three-line drawing, in New York, on a new construction, few

story building, which means they'll have a ground rod (hopefully) at the

Main cabinet, do you think it's necessary to detail any ground connections

from the solar to the water pipes?  No right?  (Unusual inspector)



They are totally different systems when there is a Grounding Electrode

present.  In modern construction practices, they are bonding the water pipes

only, not using the water pipes as any part of the grounding electrode

system and therefore don't come into play?



And then, If on top of this building, there was a Satcon inverter, on the

roof, and that Satcon was getting grounded to the structural, can I run just

one ground wire to the roof, or do I need to run a ground conductor and some

kind of bond wire?  And again, the water pipes are not involved here, at

all.



With appreciation,



Ryan J. LeBlanc

NABCEPT Certified Solar PV Installer

Cell: 707.591.1950

Direct: 707.536.9839

ryan at NaturalEnergyWorks.com

http://www.NaturalEnergyWorks.com





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