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EXPERTS PLEASE HELP - Ground Rods & Grounding & Multiple Meters

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EXPERTS PLEASE HELP - Ground Rods & Grounding & Multiple Meters Jim Beam 09-16-2006
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Posted by Jim Beam on September 16, 2006, 3:24 pm
Correct me if I am wrong and then please help!

Incoming power is usually 3 wires: 2 - 110 phases and neutral which go
to the breaker box.
Then a ground rod is installed near the breaker box (which is usually
located at the entry to the house) and tied to neutral there.
Then the 110 phases, neutral, & ground are distributed through out the
house to the outlets (three independent wires to each outlet chain).

My configuration (in Nicaragua, land of the uneducated):
Three incoming #0 lines from a common 3 wire power pole line.
Each incoming line 3 wires: 2 - 110 phases and neutral.
I see no ground wire connected to the neutral at the power pole.
I have 8 meters.
One incoming line goes to 1 meter, the Second line to 4 meters and the
Third line to 3 meters.

Then the 3 wire outputs of the 8 meters (2 - 110 phases and neutral) go
to 8 breaker boxes located in different rooms (they say this is the code
there to have the breaker boxes in the rooms).

BUT, there is NO ground wire in the box to go to the third green
terminal on the outlets. Can I install 8 ground rods at each breaker
box to provide a green ground wire?
Should I connect this to neutral at each of the breaker boxes?

I think maybe the real question is:
Is there a problem if I use multiple ground stakes?
Should they be connected to neutral at each of the 8 boxes as well as to
the green terminal going to the outlets?

Or should I install 1 ground stake and connect to ALL boxes and all
circuits?

THANK YOU!!!

Posted by on September 16, 2006, 4:14 pm

>Correct me if I am wrong and then please help!
>
>Incoming power is usually 3 wires: 2 - 110 phases and neutral which go
>to the breaker box.
>Then a ground rod is installed near the breaker box (which is usually
>located at the entry to the house) and tied to neutral there.
>Then the 110 phases, neutral, & ground are distributed through out the
>house to the outlets (three independent wires to each outlet chain).
>
>My configuration (in Nicaragua, land of the uneducated):
>Three incoming #0 lines from a common 3 wire power pole line.
>Each incoming line 3 wires: 2 - 110 phases and neutral.
>I see no ground wire connected to the neutral at the power pole.
>I have 8 meters.
>One incoming line goes to 1 meter, the Second line to 4 meters and the
>Third line to 3 meters.
>
>Then the 3 wire outputs of the 8 meters (2 - 110 phases and neutral) go
>to 8 breaker boxes located in different rooms (they say this is the code
>there to have the breaker boxes in the rooms).
>
>BUT, there is NO ground wire in the box to go to the third green
>terminal on the outlets. Can I install 8 ground rods at each breaker
>box to provide a green ground wire?
>Should I connect this to neutral at each of the breaker boxes?
>
>I think maybe the real question is:
>Is there a problem if I use multiple ground stakes?
>Should they be connected to neutral at each of the 8 boxes as well as to
>the green terminal going to the outlets?
>
>Or should I install 1 ground stake and connect to ALL boxes and all
>circuits?
>
>THANK YOU!!!
The US rule is you can connect the ground electrode conductor anywhere
from the service point where the customer owns the wire to the service
disconnect. Usually it happens in the meter base or the service
disconnect enclosure. You really only need one ground electrode system
per service drop but that is usually 2 rods at least 2 meters apart
and bonded together.

Posted by RBM on September 16, 2006, 4:21 pm
My guess is that somewhere on the pole, where the transformer is, there will
be a ground connection for the utility company. Typically in the US, you
would just have one large line feeding the building, not several small
lines, and you would install your ground rod or rods and grounding conductor
at the "main" disconnect(s). This grounding conductor would also be bonded
to the neutral at this location. It would make sense to me that you install
one set of rods with a grounding conductor bonded to each main in the
building, but I'd check with whatever authority is in charge there.


> Correct me if I am wrong and then please help!
>
> Incoming power is usually 3 wires: 2 - 110 phases and neutral which go
> to the breaker box.
> Then a ground rod is installed near the breaker box (which is usually
> located at the entry to the house) and tied to neutral there.
> Then the 110 phases, neutral, & ground are distributed through out the
> house to the outlets (three independent wires to each outlet chain).
>
> My configuration (in Nicaragua, land of the uneducated):
> Three incoming #0 lines from a common 3 wire power pole line.
> Each incoming line 3 wires: 2 - 110 phases and neutral.
> I see no ground wire connected to the neutral at the power pole.
> I have 8 meters.
> One incoming line goes to 1 meter, the Second line to 4 meters and the
> Third line to 3 meters.
>
> Then the 3 wire outputs of the 8 meters (2 - 110 phases and neutral) go
> to 8 breaker boxes located in different rooms (they say this is the code
> there to have the breaker boxes in the rooms).
>
> BUT, there is NO ground wire in the box to go to the third green
> terminal on the outlets. Can I install 8 ground rods at each breaker
> box to provide a green ground wire?
> Should I connect this to neutral at each of the breaker boxes?
>
> I think maybe the real question is:
> Is there a problem if I use multiple ground stakes?
> Should they be connected to neutral at each of the 8 boxes as well as to
> the green terminal going to the outlets?
>
> Or should I install 1 ground stake and connect to ALL boxes and all
> circuits?
>
> THANK YOU!!!



Posted by MLD on September 16, 2006, 5:18 pm
"Is there a problem if I use multiple ground stakes?"
I have two ground stakes buried on my system. Can't recall exactly how they
are connected.
MLD


> Correct me if I am wrong and then please help!
>
> Incoming power is usually 3 wires: 2 - 110 phases and neutral which go
> to the breaker box.
> Then a ground rod is installed near the breaker box (which is usually
> located at the entry to the house) and tied to neutral there.
> Then the 110 phases, neutral, & ground are distributed through out the
> house to the outlets (three independent wires to each outlet chain).
>
> My configuration (in Nicaragua, land of the uneducated):
> Three incoming #0 lines from a common 3 wire power pole line.
> Each incoming line 3 wires: 2 - 110 phases and neutral.
> I see no ground wire connected to the neutral at the power pole.
> I have 8 meters.
> One incoming line goes to 1 meter, the Second line to 4 meters and the
> Third line to 3 meters.
>
> Then the 3 wire outputs of the 8 meters (2 - 110 phases and neutral) go
> to 8 breaker boxes located in different rooms (they say this is the code
> there to have the breaker boxes in the rooms).
>
> BUT, there is NO ground wire in the box to go to the third green
> terminal on the outlets. Can I install 8 ground rods at each breaker
> box to provide a green ground wire?
> Should I connect this to neutral at each of the breaker boxes?
>
> I think maybe the real question is:
> Is there a problem if I use multiple ground stakes?
> Should they be connected to neutral at each of the 8 boxes as well as to
> the green terminal going to the outlets?
>
> Or should I install 1 ground stake and connect to ALL boxes and all
> circuits?
>
> THANK YOU!!!



Posted by RBM on September 16, 2006, 6:18 pm
No problem at all, sometimes it's required


> "Is there a problem if I use multiple ground stakes?"
> I have two ground stakes buried on my system. Can't recall exactly how
> they
> are connected.
> MLD
>
>
>> Correct me if I am wrong and then please help!
>>
>> Incoming power is usually 3 wires: 2 - 110 phases and neutral which go
>> to the breaker box.
>> Then a ground rod is installed near the breaker box (which is usually
>> located at the entry to the house) and tied to neutral there.
>> Then the 110 phases, neutral, & ground are distributed through out the
>> house to the outlets (three independent wires to each outlet chain).
>>
>> My configuration (in Nicaragua, land of the uneducated):
>> Three incoming #0 lines from a common 3 wire power pole line.
>> Each incoming line 3 wires: 2 - 110 phases and neutral.
>> I see no ground wire connected to the neutral at the power pole.
>> I have 8 meters.
>> One incoming line goes to 1 meter, the Second line to 4 meters and the
>> Third line to 3 meters.
>>
>> Then the 3 wire outputs of the 8 meters (2 - 110 phases and neutral) go
>> to 8 breaker boxes located in different rooms (they say this is the code
>> there to have the breaker boxes in the rooms).
>>
>> BUT, there is NO ground wire in the box to go to the third green
>> terminal on the outlets. Can I install 8 ground rods at each breaker
>> box to provide a green ground wire?
>> Should I connect this to neutral at each of the breaker boxes?
>>
>> I think maybe the real question is:
>> Is there a problem if I use multiple ground stakes?
>> Should they be connected to neutral at each of the 8 boxes as well as to
>> the green terminal going to the outlets?
>>
>> Or should I install 1 ground stake and connect to ALL boxes and all
>> circuits?
>>
>> THANK YOU!!!
>
>



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