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dougbrown1234 · Jun 13, 2012, 08:03 AM

Electrical service in the house I rent was upgraded to 100 amps before I moved in. It is grounded to an exterior ground rod only. Shouldn't it also be grounded to the water supply? Can you give me the code section?

hfcarson · Jun 13, 2012, 08:58 AM

Doug,
If you have a metal water piping system, NEC 250.50 requires it to be bonded with the ground rods (plural) at a minimum...
Is there an inspection sticker? You can call the municipality you're in and ask if you don't see a sticker... I'm sure they will be interested!
If there is only "one" ground rod, has it been proven that it's resistance is 25 Ohms or less? (NEC 250.56) The test is expensive the second ground rod is $10 dollars that's why there will be two of them...
Good Luck

stanfortyman · Jun 13, 2012, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by dougbrown1234

Electrical service in the house I rent was upgraded to 100 amps before I moved in. It is grounded to an exterior ground rod only. Shouldn't it also be grounded to the water supply? Can you give me the code section?

Why do you need this info? What could you possibly do with it? Use it as leverage for something?

If you are concerned about the electric in your rented house call the landlord. If that is not satisfactory then move to a different place.

dougbrown1234 · Jun 14, 2012, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by stanfortyman

Why do you need this info? What could you possibly do with it? Use it as leverage for something?

If you are concerned about the electric in your rented house call the landlord. If that is not satisfactory then move to a different place.

I am a 22 yr. member of IBEW local #38 in Cleveland, Ohio and can probably do more with this information than you. I was hoping not to have to call the electrical inspector, yet show the landlord that this needs done.

stanfortyman · Jun 14, 2012, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by dougbrown1234

I am a 22 yr. member of IBEW local #38 in Cleveland, Ohio

Congratulations.
I would think if you were in the IBEW you'd know what code section this is in. It's pretty basic stuff.

Originally Posted by dougbrown1234

and can probably do more with this information than you.

I have no idea what this means.

Originally Posted by dougbrown1234

I was hoping not to have to call the electrical inspector, yet show the landlord that this needs done.

So because you think it is that wrong you'd actually call the electrical inspector over it?
Good luck with that.

It should only be "grounded" to the water supply under certain circumstances.
Also under certain circumstance it should be bonded to the water piping. Is that done?

I'm truly curious as to why this is such an issue to you.

dougbrown1234 · Jun 14, 2012, 04:36 PM

I am doing some electrical work for the landlord. I am well aware that section 250 covers grounding. I didn't have a code book handy. I was looking for an outside "expert" opinion. I do not wish to continue in a pissing match with you.

dougbrown1234 · Jun 14, 2012, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by hfcarson

Doug,
If you have a metal water piping system, NEC 250.50 requires it to be bonded with the ground rods (plural) at a minimum...
Is there an inspection sticker? You can call the municipality you're in and ask if you don't see a sticker...I'm sure they will be interested!
If there is only "one" ground rod, has it been proven that it's resistance is 25 Ohms or less? (NEC 250.56) The test is expensive the second ground rod is $10 dollars that's why there will be two of them...
Good Luck

Thank you. I am doing some other electrical work for my landlord. I wanted to justify the cost of doing this to him. I was looking for some documentation to e-mail him, he lives out of state.

stanfortyman · Jun 14, 2012, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by dougbrown1234

I am doing some electrical work for the landlord. I am well aware that section 250 covers grounding. I didn't have a code book handy. I was looking for an outside "expert" opinion. I do not wish to continue in a pissing match with you.

I fail to see how this is a pissing match. All I was looking for was the explanation you just gave to hfcarson. Simple as that. You came off as a PO'd tenant that was looking for ammunition against a landlord and the reasoning didn't seem justified. I'm not sure why, but before you seemed evasive and defensive, now I see where you are coming from.

Even now, without more info about the installation it is hard to tell. This is covered in several sections of 250, so we'd need to know more about what exactly was done, and what the exact water piping situation is.

stanfortyman · Jun 14, 2012, 05:20 PM

I must say, if you are only 22 you cannot have very many years experience. Add to that it is IBEW experience, which does not exactly cover much residential work.
I know you don't want it, but it is my STRONG opinion that someone with very little experience should be doing work for someone for pay.

ma0641 · Jun 14, 2012, 05:45 PM

What type of piping do you have? If it is plastic, no reason to bond since it doesn't conduct electricity anyway.

dougbrown1234 · Jun 14, 2012, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by stanfortyman

I must say, if you are only 22 you cannot have very many years experience. Add to that it is IBEW experience, which does not exactly cover much residential work.
I know you don't want it, but it is my STRONG opinion that someone with very little experience should be doing work for someone for pay.

Re-read post. 22yr. Member. I am 47yrs. Mr. Carson's answer was sufficient. Thank you.

dougbrown1234 · Jun 14, 2012, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by stanfortyman

I must say, if you are only 22 you cannot have very many years experience. Add to that it is IBEW experience, which does not exactly cover much residential work.
I know you don't want it, but it is my STRONG opinion that someone with very little experience should be doing work for someone for pay.

Re-read post. 22yr. Member of IBEW Local Union #38. I am 47 yrs. Old. Mr. Carson's answer was sufficient. Thank you.

stanfortyman · Jun 14, 2012, 06:08 PM

Sorry. I read it as "22 year old IBEW member..."

Definitely my mistake.

Handyman2007 · Jun 14, 2012, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by dougbrown1234

Thank you. I am doing some other electrical work for my landlord. I wanted to justify the cost of doing this to him. I was looking for some documentation to e-mail him, he lives out of state.

If you feel that you need to add a ground to the COLD water pipes, just do so, You will not be violating any code. You are doing electrical work for the landlord? And you are not sure if it needs the cold water pipe ground? What qualifies you to do the work? If you are doing the work, add the COLD water pipe ground and just inform the landlord that you did it. Simple. Have you checked the ground wire(copper) coming out of the electrical box and sure it is not connected anywhere else?
Adding another ground couldn't cost more than $20.00

dougbrown1234 · Jun 14, 2012, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by stanfortyman

I must say, if you are only 22 you cannot have very many years experience. Add to that it is IBEW experience, which does not exactly cover much residential work.
I know you don't want it, but it is my STRONG opinion that someone with very little experience should be doing work for someone for pay.

I am a 22 year union member & 47 years of age.

dougbrown1234 · Jun 14, 2012, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by Handyman2007

If you feel that you need to add a ground to the COLD water pipes,,just do so, You will not be violating any code. You are doing electrical work for the landlord?? And you are not sure if it needs the cold water pipe ground? What qualifies you to do the work? If you are doing the work, add the COLD water pipe ground and just inform the landlord that you did it. Simple. Have you checked the ground wire(copper) coming out of the electrical box and sure it is not connected anywhere else?
Adding another ground couldn't cost more than $20.00

I knew what was needed. I wanted documentation to show my out of state landlord.