Grounding and Bonding - Part 3

Grounding and Bonding Part 3
Introduction and Resources

Authors Note: Grounding and Bonding is a confusing subject to the majority of electricians and technicians. As you have seen from the previous two articles on Grounding and Bonding, ground rods have no role in clearing line to pole faults. As it will take many IMSA articles to completely cover NEC Article 250, this IMSA article will cover the introduction to Article 250, suggestions for improved bonding, and additional resources on Grounding and Bonding.
250 shall be followed to comply with the performance requirements of this section. At first glance this section appears to have no application for traffic signal and roadway lighting applications. However, traffic signal and roadway lighting installations have to be installed in a manner that in many cases exceeds the NEC. The NEC contains the requirements that are necessary for safety [90.1(A)]. Section 250.118 allows a metallic raceway to be used as the equipment grounding (bonding) conductor, but a long run of threaded rigid metallic conduit may not be dependable over many years for fault clearing.
By Tom Baker By Tom Baker, Scope of Article 250 Puget Sound Section 250.1 covers the scope of this article. Some systems Electrical are required to be grounded, some are permitted to be grounded, others are not permitted to be grounded. Grounding refers to intentionally connecting a conductor to earth (the grounded conductor). The trade useage and incorrect terminology is the neutral conductor. For example, the white conductor to a traffic signal head is the grounded conductor, as the neutral carries the unbalanced current of a 3 wire circuit. Note: There is no definition of a neutral in the 2002 NEC, but a definition is added in the 2005 NEC.
250.2 Definitions.
Three new definitions were added for the 2002 NEC. Effective Ground-Fault Current Path. This is intentionally installed low-impedance path for a line to case fault. TIP: The impedance of this path should be low enough to cause the overcurrent protective device (OCPD) to operate in its instantaneous range. A design goal is 5 to 10 times the operating current, for a 20 ampere circuit breaker this would be 100 to 200 amperes. A 20 ampere circuit breaker will carry 40 amperes for 25 to 150 seconds before it trips. A line to case fault on a metal street lighting pole of 40 amperes would result in the lighting pole being energized for minutes. If a person contacted the pole during this time, severe shock or electrocution could occur. Installing a low impedance ground fault current path is one of the most important aspects of any electrical installation. Ground Fault. A line to pole fault. Ground-Fault Current Path. In a line to pole fault, the current returning to its source takes all available paths. Comment: Electrons are trying to return to their source. Ground rods at a metal lighting pole play no role in fault clearing. 250.3 Application of Other Articles. This section references other parts that are in addition to, or modifications of Article 250. 250.4 General Requirements for Grounding and Bonding. The following general requirements identify what grounding and bonding of electrical systems are required to accomplish. The prescriptive methods contained in Article
Prescriptive or Performance Grounding and Bonding?
When you make a cup of coffee with a drip coffee maker, you are making a prescriptive cup of coffee. By using the correct amount of coffee and water, you follow the prescription to get coffee. However, espresso can be made many ways, perhaps a double tall, medium roast, skinny Irish cream latte. This is the performance coffee, still coffee, but for a specific purpose. Section 250.4 state that the rules in Article 250 are the prescription to comply with the performance requirements, or to meet the minimum requirements for safety. Sometimes the minimum requirements are not sufficient and the double tall, medium roast, skinny Irish cream latte is required. 250.4 (A) Grounded Systems. (1) Electrical System Grounding. Electrical systems are grounded to: Limit the voltage imposed by lightning, line surges, or unintentional contact with higher-voltage lines. Continued on page 24 IMSA Journal
Page 22
Grounding and Bonding, Part 3 . . .

Continued from page 22 Stabilize the voltage to earth during normal operation. (2) Grounding of Electrical Equipment. Non-current carrying conductive materials such as handholes, poles, cabinets, and raceways are bonded to earth to limit the voltage to ground on these materials. (3) Bonding of Electrical Equipment. Bonding joins non-current carrying conductive materials such as handholes, poles, cabinets, and raceways to establish an effective ground-fault current path, to clear a line to pole fault. (4) Bonding of Electrically Conductive Materials and Other Equipment. Any electrically conductive part is bonded together and to the electrical supply source to establish an effective ground-fault current path. (5) Effective Ground-Fault Current Path. Electrical equipment and wiring and other electrically conductive material likely to become energized shall be installed in a manner that creates a permanent, low-impedance circuit capable of safely carrying the maximum ground-fault current likely to be imposed on it from any point on the wiring system where a ground fault may occur to the electrical supply source. The earth shall not be used as the sole equipment grounding conductor or effective ground-fault current path. As pointed out in the first article, the resistance of the earth is too high to clear a fault at voltages below 600V. This section covers the performance requirements for grounding and bonding. The rest of Article 250 contains the prescriptive requirements to use.
circuit runs for roadway lighting, typically runs over 300 feet will require increasing the size of the equipment grounding (bonding) conductor given in section 250.122. The Steel Tube Institute has a free software program, GEMI, that can be used to calculate the conductor size. See the resource list at the end of this article.
The Importance of a Low Resistance Grounding System?

The electrical industry spends a lot of time, money and effort for grounding to obtain a low ground resistance of 1, 3 or 5 ohms. A more important concept is to obtain a single point ground reference, to minimize the difference in potential between the circuits. In the event of a high voltage transient, the voltage rises together for all the systems, with no difference in potential, there is no current flow between systems. Note: For more information on this topic, see: http://www.mikeholt.com/mojonewsarchive/GBHTML/HTML/Bonding-Not-Grounding~20040426.php. (in the newsletters section, under Grounding and Bonding).
Comments:
Installing a permanent, low-impedance bonding system is essential for rapid operation of the OCPD in a line to pole fault. Some specific suggestions are: Install equipment grounding (bonding) conductor in a metallic raceway. Bond at each end and at all pull/ junction boxes. Use an insulated equipment grounding (bonding) conductor. In the event of a fault, the insulation will protect the adjacent ungrounded conductors from heat damage during the fault. Use copper conductors for best corrosion resistance. Use XHHW/2 in place of THHW. While THHW is wet location listed, XHHW/2 has a much tougher insulation jacket (being direct burial rated). Use of THHW in an open bottom handhole is a code violation. Use stainless steel fasteners and copper compression lugs. Use a specification grade bonding bushings, with stainless steel and hot dip galvanized construction. Use a listed copper conductive compound on all threads and conductors. In the 2005 NEC field cut thread of RMC subject to corrosion will be required to be coated with a listed product. The only UL Listed product to date is Thomas & Betts Kopper Kote. Oversizing the equipment grounding (bonding) conductor per section 250.122 is required where the undgrounded conductors are increased in size, but there are installations where sizing the equipment grounding (bonding) conductor per section 250.122 results in an undersized conductor. Examples are long
C O D E C O R N E R
Grounding Resources
Grounding and Bonding, by Mike Holt, www.mikeholt.com or 800-NEC-CODE. This text is an excellent introduction to Grounding and Bonding at $30.00. FIPS Pub 94 Guideline for Electrical Power for ADP Installations Download at www.mikeholt.com/Powerquality/ Powerquality.htm. Although published in 1983, Its the only grounding publication that has no mistakes, says Mike Holt. It is excellent and free. Understanding Ground Resistance Testing, AEMC; Dover, NH, (603) 749-6434. The Grounds for Lighting and EMP Protection, 2nd edition, Polyphaser Corporation; Minden Nevada; 702-782-2511. A good resource for protection at communications sites. Grounding and Electromagnetic Interference (GEMI) Analysis Software, Steel Tube Institute of North America, Mentor Ohio, 440-974-6990. Free download at http:// www.steelconduit.org/gemi.htm. Transient Protection, Grounding, and Shielding of Electronic Traffic Control Equipment. National Cooperative Highway Research Program 317, 1986, ISBN 0-309-06149. Available at the TRB bookstore for $11.00. http:// www.nationalacademies.org/transportation
Next Issue:
The series on Bonding, not Grounding will continue.
IMSA Member Tom Baker is a Master Electrician, and is certified as an IMSA Level II Traffic Signal and Roadway Lighting Level I. His business, Puget Sound Electrical Training, provides classes on the NEC, Grounding and Bonding, and other electrical subjects. He is the IMSA representative to the Illumination Engineering Society. Contact him via email at: [email protected]
Italic text excerpted from the 2002 NEC, National Electric Code and the NEC are registered trademarks of the National Fire Protection Association, Inc., Quincy Massachusetts.
I M S A
IMSA Journal
Page 24

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Grounding and Bonding Part 3

Introduction and Resources

Prescriptive or Performance Grounding and Bonding?

Grounding and Bonding, Part 3 . . .

The Importance of a Low Resistance Grounding System?

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