GC disconnected at water main

Roy Cooke this one’s for you since you asked me why I don’t post here very often. I’ve been trying to read more posts and I’ve even learned a few things from Mike Whitt. :mrgreen:

I just inspected a house this evening and the ground wire was disconnected at the water main which obviously goes in the report. No ground rod either. My question is: Why were the 3 pronged receptacles still showing properly grounded when I used my tester? Is the tester picking up the ground connection at the transformer through the neutral conductor?

And I was all set to answer that for you. Hint: Grounded Conductor vs Equipment Grounding Conductor vs Bonding. Three different things, but they all come together.

The GEC has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with grounding receptacles. Devices are grounded by the EGC run with the branch circuits.

To expand on what Jim stated the grounding electrode system has nothing to do with equipment grounding, that is accomplished by the main bonding jumper which connects the system neutral to the EGC and provides a return path for the fault current.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwjZweTOk9fOAhUEYiYKHf9xAIgQjRwIBQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mikeholt.com%2Finstructor2%2Fimg%2Fproduct%2Fpdf%2F1292448885sample.pdf&psig=AFQjCNG6oHoSXXU4-Lf0aAoTwhbpnZKRRg&ust=1472028457639186&cad=rjt

Thanks fellas. That makes sense and that’s what I was thinking but I’ve been wrong so many times in the past (according to my wife)that I sometimes doubt myself.