Grounding 101

[kweiss]

Think the installer here passed this class? Ever took this class?

[Richard L. Bennett]

Looks like a hot tub or something like

If cover is in place not much wrong

Electrical box should be properly mounted

Hard to tell if ground in on a copper pipe or not

If it is -- what else is wrong??

rlb

[kweiss]

Ground wire is neatly run to the copper fitting below the cold water valve. Very nice. Notice anything about the supply line to the cold water line?

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

The wire is not for grounding purposes, it's for bonding purposes.

[kweiss]

Last time I checked PEX doesn't conduct. So bonding or grounding it is not accomplishing much when the supply line is a plastic PEX pipe instead of copper.

[Michael R. Boyett]

They were bonding the copper fitting...does that go to a faucet? If so, I wouldn't write it up.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

This appears to be the bond for the metal peices of the spout and/or valves. It appears they are following the "letter of the code."

Take a look at NEC 680.74

[kweiss]

Well I guess I stand corrected. This is the first time I have seen it like this. Normally, I see this run to an actual copper supply line or outside to a rod in the ground. Thanks

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

I can't think of a reason why a pump like this would have its own grounding electrode. The purpose of the lug is to bond the pump to all other components of the system that have the potential to become energized. It is not a "grounding" mechanism.

In other words, it's not meant to "ground" the pump directly, even though (in most cases) it does bond the pump to the grounding electrode of the home's electrical system.

[David P. OKeefe]

Shouldn't that be under GFCI protection?

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Absolutely. But the GFCI protection can be located anywhere on the circuit, prior to the motor. It does not necessarily have to be directly on the receptacle shown in the picture.

[brian winkle]

Originally Posted by kweiss

Well I guess I stand corrected. This is the first time I have seen it like this. Normally, I see this run to an actual copper supply line or outside to a rod in the ground. Thanks

Kevin,
If you see a Jacuzzi tub or a spa with the bonding conductor run to a ground rod driven just for the tub it would be a sure sign the installer is clueless about grounding and bonding.

[Terry Clayton]

Normally you would find the GFCI located outside of the unit, makes it more convenient to rest. Jeff is right on the bonding conductor bonds all metal parts something often missed during installs.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

680.74 Bonding.

All metal piping systems and all

grounded metal parts in contact with the circulating water

shall be bonded together using a solid copper bonding
jumper, insulated, covered, or bare, not smaller than 8
AWG. The bonding jumper shall be connected to the terminal
on the circulating pump motor that is intended for
this purpose. The bonding jumper shall not be required to
be connected to a double insulated circulating pump motor.
The 8 AWG or larger solid copper bonding jumper is required
for equipotential bonding in the area of the hydromasage
bathtub and shall not be required to be extended or
attached to any remote panelboard, service equipment, or
any electrode. [ROP 17-166, 17-168]

( Note: this is the ROC..I dont have my 2008 NEC Handy )

(B) Permissive Rules.

Permissive rules of this Code are

those that identify actions that are allowed but not required,

are normally used to describe options or alternative methods,
and are characterized by the use of the terms shall be
permitted or shall not be required.

BTW..the small metal portion on most of the tub faucets is not part of the circulation water so it would not require bonding