[TowerTalk] Shack to service entrance ground

[Lux, Jim]

On 8/18/23 4:21 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
> On 8/18/2023 4:00 PM, Lux, Jim wrote:
>> OK - you're in sort of an interesting situation, because your "shack 
>> ground" electrode isn't part of the required grounding for your house 
>> - that is, it's not a supplemental grounding electrode.
>>
>> Nor is it part of a lightning grounding/dissipation system, so all 
>> those rules don't matter.
>
> There absolutely IS a requirement that all grounds in a premises be 
> bonded together. If power is fed from one building to another, there 
> must be an earth electrode in the second building, bonded to the panel 
> (but NOT bonded to neutral in the second building IF ground is carried 
> from the first building). Until 10-15 years ago, NEC did not require 
> ground to be carried between buildings, and my property was built that 
> way. It was subsequently modified to require that ground be carried, 
> but existing installations are grandfathered.


I agree, it's just that the code isn't real clear on the minimum size 
requirement for that bonding jumper. (as you point out in the next 
paragraph).  Nor is there a requirement for a separate bonding conductor 
- You could conceivably hook the rod to the "greenwire" ground and call 
it done.  In this case I'm not sure the shack isn't at one end of the 
house and the entrance at the other end




>
> The only thing about which I'm uncertain is conductor diameter. It's 
> always been good engineering practice, especially where antennas are 
> involved, for buildings to have a perimeter ground, with rods at 
> various points around the perimeter. AT&T's Long Lines sites were 
> built that way, and Ward recommends it in his book. I use a 
> half-perimeter ground in the building that houses my shack; a cement 
> patio is in the way of full perimeter. There are about 8 rods spaced 
> along it, at the panel, and outside the shack near my coax entry panels.


Perimeter or UFER/CEGE.



>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
>
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