Why a neutral connection to the main Gas Line?

[Richard Sumer]

New house, New 150 amp panel with proper grounding to a ground rod
and a secondary to the main water line. All proper.
But there was also a wire running to the main gas line from the main neutral comming in from the power company.
I know it may be an attempt to "bond" the gas line, but is this proper?
(Connected to the main neutral)
Any insite would be helpful.

[Jim Port]

Why do you think it is a neutral to the gas line? Does this connection originate in the meter socket? Do you have a pic?

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Richard, ( as posted to you when you asked this on my site )

The GEC to the Water Pipe Ground and Supplimental Ground Rods sounds fine. Now, the connection to the Gas Line is not in any way an attempt to include it in itself as a grounding electrode I hope. Now, they may be trying to say it is likely to be energized but in the end I doubt it.....

Back in the 1965 NEC the Gas line was considered the grounding electrode....but not today !

Now...do I think it harms anything....NO.....as long as the required electrodes are in place, the connection to the gas line is simply the gas company being confused in this case.

Now...if the gas lines in the dwelling are WardFlex ( yellow jacketed gas line ) that runs to the gas appliances in the dwelling then the connection to the gas line at the point of entry or outside ( depending on your statewide building code ) may be required by the manufacturer of the flex...but again this is for bonding and has nothing to do with being a grounding electrode conductor.

I'll let Mr. Port take it from here....

[Richard Sumer]

Jim,
Sorry, for some reason I get get a photo to post,
I say it's from the neutral because it starts from the main neutral post
in the main electrica; panel (where the main neutral comes in from the meter base), then runs to the main gas line.
Regards / Richard

Originally Posted by Jim Port

Why do you think it is a neutral to the gas line? Does this connection originate in the meter socket? Do you have a pic?

[Jim Port]

Bonding and ground wires can also originate from the neutral buss in a service panel. This does not define their function.

[Peter Summaria]

Here's an article I came across. Hope this helps!



Specific NEC Bonding Requirements

Electrical bonding is addressed in the NEC in Part V of Article 250. The section dealing with bonding metal gas piping is 250.104(B). This rule applies to various metal piping systems, including gas piping systems that are likely to become energized where installed in or attached to a building or structure. This rule calls for a bonding jumper to be connected between the metal gas piping and the service equipment enclosure, the grounded conductor at the service, the grounding electrode conductor if of sufficient size, or to one or more grounding electrodes of the grounding electrode system. The connection points (points of attachment) of the bonding jumper are required to be accessible. This Code rule also clearly indicates the minimum size for the bonding jumper generally has to be sized using Table 250.122 based on the rating of the circuit likely to energize the piping system. These circuits are generally considered as those that supply gas-fired equipment.

[Rick Marton]

This code has been 100% thrown out of New Jersey. I don't know if it will ever be adopted here. Rick

[Jim Port]

Originally Posted by rmarton

This code has been 100% thrown out of New Jersey. I don't know if it will ever be adopted here. Rick

The entire Article 250 or just certain aspects of 250?

[Rick Marton]

Just 250(104 (B) the gas pipe bonding part.