House ground interrupted


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Old 11-30-15, 08:11 AM
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House ground interrupted

I moved a whole house water filter and I changed the pipe feeding and exiting the filter from copper to PEX. Today I was adding some installation and I noticed a ground wire clamped to a water pipe and running to my SEP. It occurred to me that maybe I need to jumper around the water filter PEX in order to maintain a ground on all the house piping.

Is that necessary?
 
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Old 11-30-15, 08:51 AM
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Not sure what you are referring to when to state "a ground wire clamped to a water pipe and running to my SEP".
The wire in your circuit breaker panel going to a copper rod driven into the ground should also be connected to conductive water pipe entering the house underground. It should also connect to conductive water pipe distributing water inside the house.
 
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Old 11-30-15, 09:01 AM
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Yes, all non-conductive breaks in the metallic piping system should be jumpered with a copper bonding wire. Common examples are water meters, water heaters, water filters. The purpose is somewhat different than the main grounding electrode wire coming from your main panel, but keeping the metal piping bonded to ground is important for safety.
 
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Old 11-30-15, 09:59 AM
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Sorry about the confusion. I meant to say adding some insulation.

I removed old insulation and found a ground clamp attached to a pipe leading from my well tank to the SEP. I took the cover off and it is attached to a ground buss. That's what clued me in that I might have defeated that ground when I added PEX. Also attached to the buss is the ground wire that leads outside to a grounding rod.

Is there a code requirement for the size of the jumper? I have some left over stranded #6 wire and some solid #10. I would prefer to use the solid.
 
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Old 11-30-15, 10:22 AM
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What size is your service?
 
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Old 11-30-15, 02:52 PM
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My service is 200 amps. . . . . . . . . .
 
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Old 11-30-15, 05:56 PM
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House grounding.

For 200 amp service the primary ground wire size is #4 copper, unless noted otherwise.

Grounding electrode conductor from neutral bus bar in panel with first whole house disconnect or breaker non-stop over to metal fresh water pipe exiting the house underground within 5' of exit point and without water meter or other device in between. If no metal fresh water pipe exiting underground then same conductor, called a bonding jumper, from neutral bus bar to anywhere on any metal water pipe.

Grounding electrode conductor, #6 copper, from above neutral bus bar non-stop to two ground rods separated by at least 6'

Bonding jumper across inlet and outlet of water meter.

Bonding jumper across inlet and outlet of water heater.

Bonding jumpers across each section of plastic pipe separating metal pipe networks or sections. Upstairs the size can be that of the heaviest gauge branch circuit passing nearby as opposed to #4 gauge.

Bonding jumper from anywhere on gas plumbing to anywhere on one of the above grounding electrode conductors. (May be omitted if there is an electrically powered gas appliance with proper equipment ground; a few other esoteric requirements also apply.)

Bonding jumper from anywhere on drain/waste plumbing to anywhere on one of the above grounding electrode conductors, together with bonding jumpers across each section of plastic pipe separating metal drain pipe networks or sections in the same fashion as for fresh water pipes.
 

Last edited by AllanJ; 11-30-15 at 06:11 PM.
 

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