Q. What are the Code-permitted methods for the termination of the grounding electrode conductor in a grounded system?
See the answer below.
See the answer below.
A. Service equipment supplied from a grounded system must have the grounding electrode conductor (GEC) terminate in accordance with the requirements of Sec. 250.24(A).
Location ― A grounding electrode conductor must connect the service neutral conductor to the grounding electrode at any accessible location, from the load end of the overhead service conductors, service drop, underground service conductors, or service lateral, up to and including the service disconnect [Sec. 250.24(A)(1)].
Some inspectors require the service neutral conductor to be grounded (connected to the earth) from the meter socket enclosure, while other inspectors insist that it be grounded (connected to the earth) only from the service disconnect. Grounding at either location complies with this rule.
Termination ― When the service neutral conductor is connected to the service disconnect [Sec. 250.24(B)] by a wire or busbar [Sec. 250.28], the GEC can terminate to either the neutral terminal or the equipment grounding terminal within the service disconnect [Sec. 250.24(C)(4)].
Neutral‑to‑case connection ― A neutral‑to‑case connection isn’t permitted on the load side of service equipment, except as permitted by Sec. 250.142(B) [Sec. 250.24(A)(5)].
If a neutral‑to‑case connection is made on the load side of service equipment, dangerous objectionable neutral current will flow on conductive metal parts of electrical equipment [Sec. 250.6(A)]. Objectionable neutral current on metal parts of electrical equipment can cause electric shock and even death from ventricular fibrillation, as well as a fire.
These materials are provided to us by Mike Holt Enterprises in Leesburg, Fla. To view Code training materials offered by this company, visit www.mikeholt.com/code.
