# 250.68(A) Trouble



## swimmer (Mar 19, 2011)

*250.68(A) Accessibility*
All mechanical elements used to terminate a grounding electrode conductor or bonding jumper to a grounding electrode shall be accessible.

_Exception No. 1: An encased or buried connection to a concrete-encased, driven, or buried grounding electrode shall not be required to be accessible._


*250.53 (G) Rod and Pipe Electrodes.* The electrode shall be installed such that at least 2.44m (8ft) of length is in contact with the soil.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

My task is to install 2 ground rods, 6 feet apart, and connect both to a GEC that runs into the service panel.

My problem is that because of house footing and roof eaves, or utilities I sometimes drive these rods a few feet from the house where they would be trip hazards if protruding above dirt or concrete.

My solution is to sink 8' rods below the level of the dirt and run the GEC in a 4" (below dirt) trench. After inspection, these rods are back filled with dirt. If applicable, concrete is poured on top.

I got dinged at inspection because the acorn connecting GEC to ground rod was below the dirt and would not be accessible.
I thought that exception No. 1 to 250.68(A) allowed me to bury this connection but the inspector said no.

The problem was easily resolved because this city requires only 1 rod so I was able to to drive another rod about 8 inches from the house and make a connection above the dirt that would not be a trip hazard.

So does exception No. 1 allow me to bury this connection? Am I reading it wrong? Won't be the first time I was burned by a comma or semicolon.
If I can bury the connection I can use an 8 foot rod.
If the connection must is above ground then I must use a 10 foot rod to comply with with 250.53 (G), especially if there is 4 inches of concrete above the dirt.


----------



## Pharon (Jan 20, 2014)

The language in the exception looks pretty clear to me. As long as the acorn is listed for direct burial, there shouldn't be a problem with what you did.


----------



## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

Must be a new "Barney Fife" inspector!:whistling2:

Because he's wrong! 

Only thing is the acorn has to be DB rated.


----------



## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

So ask the inspector how you connect to a concrete encased electrode or ufer and make the acorn accessible. The inspector is incorrect for the rods as they are allowed to be below grade otherwise an 8' rod would not be compliant


----------



## Ultrafault (Dec 16, 2012)

Dennis Alwon said:


> So ask the inspector how you connect to a concrete encased electrode or ufer and make the acorn accessible. The inspector is incorrect for the rods as they are allowed to be below grade otherwise an 8' rod would not be compliant


You mean your not picking up the new 8 foot 2 inch ground rods yet?


----------

