# How to ground House Meter panel, located at street



## hbelectric (Oct 8, 2007)

Using the Basic Combination Meter/Panel 200amp. Existing 100amp is located on house, I've moved meter/panel to the street and ran underground branch circuits to house.

I ran a ground rod for meter panel, will need a cold water ground?


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

You put your main out on the street?!?!


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## Doubleoh7 (Dec 3, 2009)

hbelectric said:


> Using the Basic Combination Meter/Panel 200amp. Existing 100amp is located on house, I've moved meter/panel to the street and ran underground branch circuits to house.
> 
> I ran a ground rod for meter panel, will need a cold water ground?


 
This one has me scratching my head. If I was not so tired I'd be reaching for my codebook.

I looked anyway, maybe 225.30? more than one building on property?


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## hbelectric (Oct 8, 2007)

480sparky said:


> You put your main out on the street?!?!


About 4' from side walk. Some of the houses have pedistal mount panels, by the street. It happens we had a block wall, so I used that for my panel location.


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## hbelectric (Oct 8, 2007)

Doubleoh7 said:


> This one has me scratching my head. If I was not so tired I'd be reaching for my codebook.
> 
> I looked anyway, maybe 225.30? more than one building on property?


I will check in the morning, honestly I didn't even open the code book up yet.


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## Static Design (Nov 30, 2008)

I'd like to make a comment but I've never seen or did this before so I have no idea.


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

So let me get this straight, all the "branch" circuits run to the house? Do you mean all individual circuits for the home are run from the dis-connect to inside the home or do you have a sub panel in the home that is run off a sub feed from the outside panel? :confused1: 

Around here it is common to use a Meter socket/dis-connect panel combo and from there the panel in the home becomes a sub panel. Both the dis-connect and the sub panel need to be grounded or you must run 4-wire to the sub after grounding the dis-connect. Either way in my area grounding the water line at the inside panel would be acceptable, If your area requires something different then i am sure someone else will chime in with the correct answer.

I had to go back to the original post for more info, you will have to check your codes for out there about grounding the meter socket. Here we do not ground the meter socket but do ground the dis-connect with 2 ground rods 6' apart with continuous loop. Same goes for the panel inside the home unless 4 wire is used.


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## hbelectric (Oct 8, 2007)

I have 3 sub-panels in the house, all 4 wire and about 10-20 amp circuits, from the meter panel. I'm going to run a #6 ground to the house, just to make sure it is bonded correctly. 

I asked the inspector and he just told me to look up article 250. Well no crap, I'm thinking, but there is so much interpretation on grounding, especially what a city actually wants. Thanks.


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

I see now, you have "branch" circuits for each sub panel. I wouldnt bother running another ground myself, actually here if you run 4 wire to a sub panel and then run a separate ground the POCO wants the 4rth wire in the panel unhooked/capped off.


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## John Valdes (Apr 14, 2010)

hbelectric said:


> Using the Basic Combination Meter/Panel 200amp. Existing 100amp is located on house, I've moved meter/panel to the street and ran underground branch circuits to house.
> 
> I ran a ground rod for meter panel, will need a cold water ground?


You cannot do this. It is a violation of article 225.30. And it does not look like any of the exceptions would apply to your circumstance.

II. _More Than One Building or Other Structure

225.30 Number of Supplies. Where more than one building
or other structure is on the same property and under
single management, each additional building or other structure
that is served by a branch circuit or feeder on the load
side of the service disconnecting means shall be supplied
by only one feeder or branch circuit unless permitted in
225.30(A) through (E). For the purpose of this section, a
multiwire branch circuit shall be considered a single circuit.
(A) Special Conditions. Additional feeders or branch circuits
shall be permitted to supply the following:
(1) Fire pumps
(2) Emergency systems
(3) Legally required standby systems
(4) Optional standby systems
(5) Parallel power production systems
(6) Systems designed for connection to multiple sources of
supply for the purpose of enhanced reliability
_


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## hbelectric (Oct 8, 2007)

I removed the 100amp if that is what you are referring too.

The inspector failed me and said I needed 2 ground rods and I also did run a #6 ground to the house for the cold water. I passed inspection after adding the ground rod.


He also told me that the grounds rod were suppose to be within 6'( was trying to fail me), that 6' apart was too far and that I needed to derate the branch circuits running to the house, since there are more than 3 current carrying conductors in the pipe.

Well I don't think I have ever in my life, derated wires for this reason and he is surely wrong about the within 6' apart. Luckly I had already derated my wires, because of the distance.


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## Dereklee (Jul 15, 2010)

just sounds a bit strange, somehow...and have no idea.:shutup:
Good luck...


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