# Ground for parallell service



## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

BDB said:


> Anyone ever run into a situation where the drawings call for a 2000 amp underground service, and it calls for 6 runs of 4" with 3-500 (for phases) 1-500 (for neutral) and 1 -500 (for ground) in each run? So in other words they are calling for 6-500 grounds for a 2000 amp service!!! Way over kill when you can use 1-250 or 350 and be done with it.


If it is a service there should not be any equipment grounding conductors in the run.


----------



## Hairbone (Feb 16, 2011)

BBQ said:


> If it is a service there should not be any equipment grounding conductors in the run.


 
Yes & Yes....

That is some egg head engineer who has no practical knowledge of how services are wired. 

If you are the only bidder figure it into job and keep it as profit:thumbsup:


----------



## BDB (Jul 9, 2008)

BBQ you are correct. I was so dumb founded by the number and size they were calling for I did not even think that direction. So they are even dumber then I first posted.


----------



## al13nw4r3LC76 (Apr 6, 2009)

Why do we not run a ground to the service again? At the moment it escapes me.


----------



## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

al13nw4r3LC76 said:


> Why do we not run a ground to the service again? At the moment it escapes me.


The power company gives you phases and a neutral, you bond the neutral at your service gear, and that creates your EGC.

Well, usually at least.


----------



## Gaterhater (Nov 15, 2011)

Absolutely no grounding conductor to service entrance. Poco wants there grounding electrode completely seperate from ours. They have pretty strict guidelines for how may ohms of resistance allowed. That's why they drive their rods so deep. We bond our grounded conductors at point of entrance and drive seperate rods and crap like that. But even if we did have to pull it in, the grounding conductor has to be sized for 2000 amps which is 250 mcm. So engineer is an ass-hat!........ TWICE!


----------



## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Gaterhater said:


> Absolutely no grounding conductor to service entrance. Poco wants there grounding electrode completely seperate from ours. They have pretty strict guidelines for how may ohms of resistance allowed. That's why they drive their rods so deep. We bond our grounded conductors at point of entrance and drive seperate rods and crap like that. But even if we did have to pull it in, the grounding conductor has to be sized for 2000 amps which is 250 mcm. So engineer is an ass-hat!........ TWICE!


Here they spec out the same ground rod.. (8) ft.


----------



## Gaterhater (Nov 15, 2011)

B4T said:


> Here they spec out the same ground rod.. (8) ft.


Here in Florida, maybe because of soil and shallow water table, Poco usually drives theirs between 40-60 feet. I've only had to drive more than 8' one time and that was speced for certain amount of resistance


----------

