# Multiple GEC's



## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

that's what I do: one from the panel to the water main and one from the meter socket to the ground rod... they are all tied together so that makes them common, IMO.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

In my area, you can't. They all need to be in the same enclosure as the First Point of Disconnect.

Now, everyone pay attention to the first three words.


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## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

480sparky said:


> In my area, you can't. They all need to be in the same enclosure as the First Point of Disconnect.


Would you say that's a local thing? Is it NEC compliant ?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

NolaTigaBait said:


> Would you say that's a local thing? ......


Doesn't "In my area" kinda mean that? :001_huh:




NolaTigaBait said:


> ..... Is it NEC compliant ?


Why wouldn't it be?


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## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

480sparky said:


> Doesn't "In my area" kinda mean that? :001_huh:
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Ya gotta be difficult , huh?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

NolaTigaBait said:


> Ya gotta be difficult , huh?


No, just trying to point out the obvious.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

It is not an NEC rule. One from the meter and one from the main panel is compliant.


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## MF Dagger (Dec 24, 2007)

NolaTigaBait said:


> If I run a GEC to my water and then another one to the rods separately, can I run one to my meter socket and another to my main breaker panel?...I know they need be run to a common location, but would that be considered common?...Usually the meter has one lug for a conductor and when I run 2, just wanted to be sure im compliant.


Milbank makes a lug that will give you two spots instead of one.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

I always run my GEC to water pipe to main panel. I take the GEC to rods to meter can. All the poco's I have dealt with here allow it.


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## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

jwjrw said:


> I always run my GEC to water pipe to main panel. I take the GEC to rods to meter can. All the poco's I have dealt with here allow it.


That's exactly what I did. If it's a 200 and all electrodes are in close proximity I just run the #4 to all of them one piece. This time I had installed a 100 and ran a #6 to the water and rods, then he added a bunch of stuff and I upgraded to a 200. I just ran my #4 to the water from the main panel and my #6 stayed in the meter...


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Make sure your POCO will let you use the lug in the meter pan.. mine will not.. 

They say is is only to be use for a bonding bushing.. when needed.. which is never since everybody uses PVC..


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## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

B4T said:


> Make sure your POCO will let you use the lug in the meter pan.. mine will not..
> 
> They say is is only to be use for a bonding bushing.. when needed.. which is never since everybody uses PVC..


Thanks, Captain Obvious:jester:...Yes, they are allowed here. I ran mine to the panel once and they wouldn't put the meter in b/c it wasn't "grounded":no:


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

In eastern WA the meter can gets bonded with the neutral. Take your GEC to the main disconnect.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

BuzzKill said:


> that's what I do: one from the panel to the water main and one from the meter socket to the ground rod... they are all tied together so that makes them common, IMO.


I agree with Buzzkill. If you think about it, as far as I am concerned, you would...or could, want multiple paths for strike current and you would want them in parallel, not series. In series all WOULD be at the same potential, but, you possibly would be causing the "strike" current to go some place it would not have gone on its own. Just my opinion.


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

I agree with you Riveter but since we are building to code one GEC to the water line then off to the other GEC's meets code.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

nitro71 said:


> I agree with you Riveter but since we are building to code one GEC to the water line then off to the other GEC's meets code.


You MUST go by the code but you have to remember that it is the minimum requirements. Do you read the code to say "to the water line, and then off to the other GECs?


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

RIVETER said:


> You MUST go by the code but you have to remember that it is the minimum requirements. Do you read the code to say "to the water line, and then off to the other GECs?


Or whatever the primary GEC is. There's a cool picture in the handbook.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

nitro71 said:


> Or whatever the primary GEC is. There's a cool picture in the handbook.


The primary grounding electrode conductor, to me, is the conductor that is fastened to the best grounding electrode. If you have a water pipe system that is embedded in earth for at least ten feet it MUST be used as the GROUND. It may not be the best...but it is code. Any extra should be in parallel, NOT just looking for the same potential.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

RIVETER said:


> You MUST go by the code but you have to remember that it is the minimum requirements. Do you read the code to say "to the water line, and then off to the other GECs?


Yes, that is allowed and there is nothing wrong with it.



RIVETER said:


> The primary grounding electrode conductor, to me, is the conductor that is fastened to the best grounding electrode.


There is no such thing as the 'primary grounding electrode conductor'

They are all created equal.


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

BBQ said:


> Yes, that is allowed and there is nothing wrong with it.
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The first electrode would be a better term.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

nitro71 said:


> Or whatever the primary GEC is. There's a cool picture in the handbook.


I think you may mean this one?


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

Nice drawing! That's one of my favs from my picture.. err handbook.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

BBQ said:


> I think you may mean this one?


Pretty picture. Everything is not as it seems. Why are they calling the conductor connecting the steel beam to a ground rod a "bonding" jumper, among other things? Just asking.


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## AFOREMA1 (Nov 23, 2009)

Not allowed to run GEC to the meter can here only to the panel or disconnect if prior to panel.


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## AFOREMA1 (Nov 23, 2009)

RIVETER said:


> Pretty picture. Everything is not as it seems. Why are they calling the conductor connecting the steel beam to a ground rod a "bonding" jumper, among other things? Just asking.


Because it is bonding, or tying together, the building steel to ground. That is what bond means.


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## AFOREMA1 (Nov 23, 2009)

RIVETER said:


> Pretty picture. Everything is not as it seems. Why are they calling the conductor connecting the steel beam to a ground rod a "bonding" jumper, among other things? Just asking.


When you go into some of the main panels at Ford look in the bottom of the cabinet many if not most will have bonding jumpers to building steel.


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## Greg (Aug 1, 2007)

Florida is really screwed up then it comes to GEC's. Regardless if you have a perfect UFER, water main, or Ground Ring electrode system, because of our POCO's here in Central Florida, you still have to drive 2 ground rods. They MUST be connected to the meter can or they will not install a meter.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

RIVETER said:


> Pretty picture. Everything is not as it seems. Why are they calling the conductor connecting the steel beam to a ground rod a "bonding" jumper, among other things? Just asking.


It is pretty and it is correct, the only 'GEC' is the conductor from the panel to the water line in this case.


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## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

BBQ said:


> It is pretty and it is correct, the only 'GEC' is the conductor from the panel to the water line in this case.


I guess I didn't look at it that way. The GEC from my disconnect to the water would be considered the GEC and from the meter pan to the rods would be a bonding jumper.


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