Grounding the Electrical

System
Reference: AAVIM
“Electrical Wiring”
Created May 2007
 Purpose of the Grounding System

• Fundamental to the safety of those

installing, using, and servicing the
electrical system
• Assures the system will work properly
while preventing damage to the system
 NEC Requirements

• All electrical systems serving structure

must be bonded together
• Including the following
– Electrical wiring system
– Telephone system
– Phone system
– Burgular alarm system
– Cable or satellite system
 Grounding

• The process of making a planned,

continuous, connection between NON-
CURRENT CARRYING parts of the
electrical wiring installation and the earth
and some other conducting body
 Grounded

• Describes the act of being connected to

the earth or some other conduction body
that serves in place of the earth
 Bonding

• Process in which all NON-CURRENT

CARRYING METALLIC parts of the
electrical wiring system are permanently
joined together to form a CONTINUOUS
grounding path
 Bonding

• Reduces the differences in potential

between each electrical system
• May be caused by power surges, lightning
strikes or other types of ground fault type
occurences
 Parts of the Electrical System

• Circuits
• Service Entrance Panel
• Metal Water Pipe
• Metal Gas pipe
 Materials in Grounding System

• Must be approved by NEC

The Grounding Electrode System

• All materials must be grounded using

approved bonding and grounding
electrode systems
• Check with local building code
 Metallic Pipe

• Water pipe must always be bonded to the

service entrance panel, grounding
electrode conductor, or grounding
electrode
• Other metal pipe, such as gas pipe, which
may become energized accidentally must
be bonded to the electrical system
grounded system
 Use of Bonding Jumper

• To provide CONTINUOUS grounding path

around devices such as water meters
installed in metallic water pipe system
Types of Grounding Electrodes
Metal Underground Water Pipe

• Must be bonded to the supplemental

grounding system electrode and to the
neutral bus bar in the SEP
• Connection must be made within 5 feet of
entering structure
• Water pipe must be in direct contact with
the earth for at least 10 feet
 Concrete Encased Electrode

• Electrode encased in foundation footing

covered with at least 2 inches of concrete
• Electrodes must be at least 20 feet in
length and consist of one or more ½”
steel reinforcement bars
 Ground Ring

• Bare Copper
• At Least #2 AWG or larger
• Encircling residence for a length of 20 feet
• Buried at least 2 ½”
Metal Framework
 Supplemental Electrodes

• Typically made of metal rods, pipes, or

plates
 Rod and Pipe Electrodes

• Iron or steel rod electrodes

• Must be 5/8” in diameter
• Pipe must be ¾” in diameter
• Galvanized or metal coated for corrosion
resistance
• 8 feet in length
• Installed to a depth of 8” in direct contact
with earth
• Nonferrous rods must be listed at no less
than ½”
• Stainless Steel- ½” diamter
• Must be at or below ground level
• Must be protected from physical damage
 Exceptions

• If electrode can not be driven more than

4” into the earth b/c of rock or other
obstruction
• May be driven at an oblique and of no
more than 45° from vertical
• At least 8” of the electrode must be in
contact with earth
 Multiple grounding rods

• When more than one electrode grounding

rod is used:
– Must be installed not less than 6 feet apart
– Must be bonded together with an approved
bonding jumper to form single grounding
electrode system
 Plate Electrode

• May be used in areas where it is not

possible to use a grounding rod or ring
• Steel/Iron Plate electrode must be ¼”
thick
• Non-ferrous metal plate must be 0.06”
thick
• 2 feet square
• Buried at least 2 1/2’
Grounding Electrode Conductor

• NEC permits
– Copper
– Aluminium
– Copper-clad
AL and AL-CU may not be used in contact with
masonry, corrosive, or in direct contact with
the earth