Grounding and Bonding — Part 1 of 2

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By Mike Holt

Among the revisions to Art. 250, the 2014 NEC made some important wording changes that clear up confusion. For
example, the NEC previously used the terms “service laterals” and “service drops.” But these aren’t the only two
ways electricity can get to an electric utility-supplied building [250.24]. The 2014 NEC uses more inclusive language
to reflect the real world. Several other instances of word changes in the 2014 NEC improve Art. 250.

Other changes are more prescriptive. For example, the signage requirement for ungrounded systems of 50V to
1,000V now requires more useful information. The 2011 NEC added a requirement for marking ungrounded
systems. The idea was to alert electricians that they’re dealing with an uncommon system. Although that change
helped make the workplace safer, it would be even better to actually indicate the voltage. Now, installers must mark
the voltage of the ungrounded system. The requirements [250.21(C)] are similar to the requirements for a high-leg
system [408.3(F)], as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1. The marking requirements for AC systems of 50V to 1,000V not required to be grounded are similar to the
requirements for a high-leg system.

Grounding electrode conductor (GEC)

The 2011 NEC added new text [250.68(C)] that had the unintended consequence of permitting installers to use
interior water pipe and structural metal as GECs. Now, the NEC says GECs must be copper, aluminum, or copper-
clad aluminum or the items permitted in 250.68(C) [250.62]. Section 250.68(C) allows the interior metal water pipe
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and the metal structure of a building to be used as a conductor to “interconnect” electrodes. Because buildings are
typically not built of copper, using the metal structure as a conductor was a small conflict between 250.62 and
250.68(C), as shown in Fig. 2. The changes to these sections resolved a conflict that only the keenest of Code-
reading eyes even noticed.

Fig. 2. Section 250.68(C) allows the interior metal water pipe and the metal structure of a building to be used as a
conductor to “interconnect” electrodes.

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The way you install a GEC must conform to 250.64(A) through (F). We’ll take a quick look at B and E (which cover
conductor protection), then a closer look at D (which covers multiple disconnects).

Conductor protection

You must protect exposed GECs where subject to physical damage. You can install them on (or through) framing
members [250.64(B)]. You can install GECs 6 AWG copper and larger exposed along the surface of the building if
you fasten them securely and they aren’t subject to physical damage.

It may save you money to size all your GECs 6 AWG or larger. Why? You must protect GECs sized 8 AWG copper
or
6 AWG aluminum (smallest sizes permitted [Table 250.66]) by installing them in rigid metal conduit, intermediate
metal conduit, PVC conduit, electrical metallic tubing, or reinforced thermosetting resin conduit.
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Fig. 3. Nonferrous raceways don’t need to be bonded because they’re not conductive.

If a ferrous raceway contains a GEC, you must make the raceway electrically continuous by bonding each end to
the GEC [250.64(E)] (see Don’t Choke Up). This issue becomes moot if you use PVC conduit or reinforced
thermosetting resin conduit, as shown in Fig. 3. Don’t let the bonding issue be your sole criterion if choosing
between ferrous or nonferrous.

Multiple disconnects

If a service or structure disconnect consists of more than a single enclosure, grounding electrode connections must
be made in one of the following methods [250.64(D)]:

• Common GEC and taps.

• Individual GECs.

• Common location.

Let’s examine these.

A GEC tap must extend to the inside of each disconnecting means enclosure. Size each GEC tap per 250.66, based
on the largest ungrounded conductor supplying the individual enclosure (see Fig. 4). The common GEC is also sized
no smaller than specified in Table 250.66. The difference is the size is based on the sum of the circular mil area of
the largest ungrounded conductor(s) of each set of conductors that supply the disconnecting means.

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Fig. 4. Connect the grounding electrode tap conductors to the common GEC without splicing the common GEC.

Connect the grounding electrode tap conductors to the common GEC without splicing the common GEC. Use one of
the following methods:

1) Exothermic welding.

2) Connectors listed as grounding and bonding equipment.

3) Connections to a bus bar of sufficient length and not less than ¼ in. thick × 2 in. wide that’s securely fastened and
installed in an accessible location [250.64(F)(3)]. With the 2014 NEC, there’s a crucial change here (see Bus Bar
Dimensions).

An individual GEC, sized per 250.66 based on the ungrounded conductor(s) supplying the individual disconnecting
means, must be connected between the grounding electrode system and one or more of the following:

1) Service neutral conductor,

2) Equipment grounding conductor of the feeder circuit,

3) Supply-side bonding jumper.

You can run a single GEC from a common location. But size it no smaller than specified in Table 250.66, based on
the area of the ungrounded conductor where the connection is made. The GEC must connect the grounding
electrode system to one or more of the following (Fig. 5):

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Fig. 5. The GEC must connect the grounding electrode system to one or more of the following: service neutral
conductor; equipment grounding conductor of the feeder circuit; or supply-side bonding jumper.

1) Service neutral conductor.

2) Equipment grounding conductor of the feeder circuit.

3) Supply-side bonding jumper.

Sizing GECs

The NEC has long allowed installing smaller GECs for ground rods and concrete-encased electrodes. Unfortunately,
there was a subtle omission prior to the 2014 NEC. If a person can use 6 AWG to one ground rod, why not allow it
for two ground rods in parallel? Installers did this, and inspectors allowed it.

The 2014 NEC corrects this omission. Except as permitted in 250.66(A), (B), and (C), you must size the GEC per
Table 250.66 [250.66]. If the GEC connects to one or more ground rods as permitted in 250.52(A)(5), that portion of
the GEC that is the sole connection to the ground rods doesn’t need to be larger than 6 AWG copper.

If the GEC connects to one or more concrete-encased electrodes, the portion of the GEC that’s the sole connection
to the concrete-encased electrodes doesn’t need to be larger than 4 AWG copper.

Use Table 250.66 to size the GEC when the conditions of 250.66(A), (B), or (C) don’t apply.

Termination to the grounding electrode

GECs and grounding electrode bonding jumpers can terminate to [250.68]:

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• The metal frame of a building/structure.

• Interior metal water piping located not more than 5 ft from the point of entrance to the structure.

In commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings where conditions of maintenance and supervision ensure only
qualified persons service the installation, the 5-ft rule doesn’t apply. In these cases, you can use the entire length of
the metal water piping system for grounding purposes if the entire length (other than short sections passing through
walls, floors, or ceilings) is exposed.

This section isn’t telling us when structural metal or water pipe is an electrode (that’s handled in 250.52). This
section is simply telling us when we can use these items as conductors to connect other items together. The
structural metal of a building may or may not be a grounding electrode, but it’s certainly conductive so you can use it
to connect different electrodes together.

Grounding isn’t bonding

We’ve gone over some key points of grounding requirements, none of which solve problems with touch potential or
prevent flashover. For that, you need bonding, which we’ll discuss in Part 2.

Holt is the owner of Mike Holt Enterprises, Inc. in Leesburg, Fla. He can be reached at www.mikeholt.com.

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