ground wire

[Mark E. Northrup]

Is there any waY beside visually check gound on the main service panel. 2007 house I can see the electrical ground wire but it seems to end in the garage from the wall. And I cannot find a ground anchor anywhere. What would you say.

[Jim Port]

Are UFER or concrete encased electrodes used in your area?

[Jeffrey R. Jonas]

Originally Posted by Jim Port

Are UFER or concrete encased electrodes used in your area?

My thought also.

[Ron Chorey II]

UFER ground:

The main electrical grounding conductor is not visible outside of the main panel. This is consistent with what is known as a UFER ground. The principle of the Ufer ground is simple, it is very effective and inexpensive to install during new construction. The Ufer ground takes advantage of concrete’s properties to good advantage. Concrete absorbs moisture quickly and looses moisture very slowly. The mineral properties of concrete (lime and others) and their inherent pH means concrete has a supply of ions to conduct current. The soil around concrete becomes "doped" by the concrete, as a result, the pH of the soil rises and reduces what would normally be 1000 ohm meter soil conditions (hard to get a good ground). The moisture present, (concrete gives up moisture very slowly), in combination with the "doped" soil, make a good conductor for electrical energy or lightning currents.

In my area since about 2005 builders are required to have access to the UFER ground. Typically it is on the garage wall, on the same side as the main panel. There is usually a blank plate cover covering it.

[Mark E. Northrup]

Originally Posted by rchorey

UFER ground:

The main electrical grounding conductor is not visible outside of the main panel. This is consistent with what is known as a UFER ground. The principle of the Ufer ground is simple, it is very effective and inexpensive to install during new construction. The Ufer ground takes advantage of concrete’s properties to good advantage. Concrete absorbs moisture quickly and looses moisture very slowly. The mineral properties of concrete (lime and others) and their inherent pH means concrete has a supply of ions to conduct current. The soil around concrete becomes "doped" by the concrete, as a result, the pH of the soil rises and reduces what would normally be 1000 ohm meter soil conditions (hard to get a good ground). The moisture present, (concrete gives up moisture very slowly), in combination with the "doped" soil, make a good conductor for electrical energy or lightning currents.

In my area since about 2005 builders are required to have access to the UFER ground. Typically it is on the garage wall, on the same side as the main panel. There is usually a blank plate cover covering it.

Most of the time that is what i look for. you can pull the cover plate and there is the ground wire and a clamp. On this house i took off the cover plate and there was no wire another plate was already off and a ground of the same size wire was sticking out of it. i could not see a clamp and the wire appeared to not be secured to anything except running up toward the main service panel. I have seen a ground rod and the cable hooked to them as well but not on this house. I just was wondering if there was a way to check this ground from the main servicing panel.
thanks for the feed back

[Wayne B. Wilson]

Have a electrician megger it Mark

[Mark E. Northrup]

Originally Posted by wwilson3

Have a electrician megger it Mark

Thanks Wayne I called it out for having a electrician to make sure it was grounded that it may be but i could not identify it by visually checking the ground clamp like i usually do on newer houses. Thanks for the info.