# Grounding 250.24



## uber stein (Aug 20, 2010)

I have Tom Henry's book set and am reading through the Grounding book. Going through article 250.24 atm and it's saying that the "GEC must be connected to the service conductor within the service disconnect or on supply side of the service disconnect". Reading 250.24(1) in the NEC it just says connected to load end of of service drop etc etc.. 

Tom's book shows a pik of meter and a main panel that are far apart, says GEC should be at panel and not at meter. 

The shop i work for has always bonded GEC to neutral in meter pan, not worrying about how far or close main panel/disconnect is.

Any explanations??? thx


----------



## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

uber stein said:


> I have Tom Henry's book set and am reading through the Grounding book. Going through article 250.24 atm and it's saying that the "GEC must be connected to the service conductor within the service disconnect or on supply side of the service disconnect". Reading 250.24(1) in the NEC it just says connected to load end of of service drop etc etc..
> 
> Tom's book shows a pik of meter and a main panel that are far apart, says GEC should be at panel and not at meter.
> 
> ...


I would do what the code says. Did you also bring the water pipe ground all the way out to the meter?


----------



## uber stein (Aug 20, 2010)

water pipe ground? umm, no, we put 2 ground rods in ground 6' apart. Ground wire originates from meter and goes to rods. As for as doing what the "code" says, thats what i need explaining. Dont really understand!!


----------



## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

uber stein said:


> I have Tom Henry's book set and am reading through the Grounding book. Going through article 250.24 atm and it's saying that the "GEC must be connected to the service conductor within the service disconnect or on supply side of the service disconnect". Reading 250.24(1) in the NEC it just says connected to load end of of service drop etc etc..


 what's your question? 
in resi, or anywhere else, the N has to be attached at the service disco with the G and no where else...it's the first point of disonnection.


----------



## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Aw, sh1t here we go again.


----------



## uber stein (Aug 20, 2010)

BuzzKill said:


> what's your question?
> in resi, or anywhere else, the N has to be attached at the service disco with the G and no where else...it's the first point of disonnection.


so, your saying that originating from the meter is no good and should be bonded in the main panel?


----------



## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

uber stein said:


> so, your saying that originating from the meter is no good and should be bonded in the main panel?


There are probably a lot of different ways to bond the neutral to ground. The way you have done it at the meter is safe enough as far as what it's job is to begin with. I actually kind of agree with that method but we must do as the code says. I have a second home (CABIN) where the utility preferred the GEC be connected to the neutral at the weatherhead and taken directly to the rod on the outside of the 2-1/2" conduit riser.


----------



## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

RIVETER said:


> I would do what the code says. Did you also bring the water pipe ground all the way out to the meter?


 off the wall, the meterpan is like a a/c pullout disconnect. One can interpit the meter being used as a disconnect and so beith the rest. Most FD's will pull the meter using it as a disconnect on structures with internal main disconnects. I still terminate all my grounds at the main panel or disconnnect.


----------



## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

Being that many power companies do not allow grounding conductors in their metering equipment, bonding the grounding electrode conductor to the service neutral at the main disco is, in my opinion, the best practice. Also, since the NEC requires the bonding to occur, and since the meter is usually poco property and is not always even subject to NEC, it makes sense to me that bonding at the disco is better, and also available to an electrician for maintainance and repair, where it might not be able to be easily accessed if it was locked in the poco's equipment.

As to the actual question of whether or not bonding in the meter can is NEC approved, yet I believe it complies. Again, I believe Tom is using best practice that would work anywhere in the US.


----------



## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

It can be connected at any point on the line side....The drop, the meter pan or the service disconnect...I'm assuming this is a single disconnect also...Here, they wont realease the meter if the gec isnt landed in teh meter pan...even though the code allows it other places.


----------



## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

wildleg said:


> Being that many power companies do not allow grounding conductors in their metering equipment, bonding the grounding electrode conductor to the service neutral at the main disco is, in my opinion, the best practice. Also, since the NEC requires the bonding to occur, and since the meter is usually poco property and is not always even subject to NEC, it makes sense to me that bonding at the disco is better, and also available to an electrician for maintainance and repair, where it might not be able to be easily accessed if it was locked in the poco's equipment.
> 
> As to the actual question of whether or not bonding in the meter can is NEC approved, yet I believe it complies. Again, I believe Tom is using best practice that would work anywhere in the US.


 The only approved ground rod termination in the meterpan is that I know of is that of a remote location from the structure. It must be insulated wire as per our poco .Those rods do not bypass the rod(s) required for the structure.


----------



## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

RIVETER said:


> I would do what the code says. Did you also bring the water pipe ground all the way out to the meter?


In mass we bond at the meter then hit the panel and the water meter both sides the power company wants it that way with two ground rods 6' apart.


----------



## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

HARRY304E said:


> In mass we bond at the meter then hit the panel and the water meter both sides the power company wants it that way with two ground rods 6' apart.


You seem to have all the bases covered. I agree.


----------



## Greg (Aug 1, 2007)

Here is what OUC wants (Central FL POCO), regardless of the water main/UFER ground, they want #4 bare and two ground rods connected to the meter pan. With our soil conditions the two rods are useless. Our other POCO's (KUA, FPL, and Progress) are the same way.


----------



## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

It all depends on your poco. Here we can do the meter or panel.


----------



## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

jwjrw said:


> It all depends on your poco. Here we can do the meter or panel.


 

I deal with (3) power companies. 2 of the 3 don't care. The third WILL NOT allow a GEC to enter a meter.

Funny, even the power companies can't agree on that


----------



## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Shockdoc said:


> off the wall, the meterpan is like a a/c pullout disconnect. One can interpit the meter being used as a disconnect and so beith the rest. Most FD's will pull the meter using it as a disconnect on structures with internal main disconnects. I still terminate all my grounds at the main panel or disconnnect.


Off the wall. How could a meter and enclosure be considered a disconnect? It's not listed as a disconnect and therefore cannot be used as one. Do we remove a receptacle to kill power to the next device down stream? No. we open the breaker. 



NolaTigaBait said:


> It can be connected at any point on the line side....The drop, the meter pan or the service disconnect...I'm assuming this is a single disconnect also...Here, they wont release the meter if the gec isnt landed in teh meter pan...even though the code allows it other places.


Thats how it is here with Duke Energy. My GEC at home is connected at the meter pan.


----------



## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

John Valdes said:


> Off the wall. How could a meter and enclosure be considered a disconnect? It's not listed as a disconnect and therefore cannot be used as one. Do we remove a receptacle to kill power to the next device down stream? No. we open the breaker.
> 
> 
> 
> Thats how it is here with Duke Energy. My GEC at home is connected at the meter pan.


You take things to seriously, lighten up, you'll live longer.


----------

