Can you ground an outlet to a water pipe

Electrical grounding directs dangerous electrical charges away from the home and into the ground. Historically, the home's copper water pipe system provided a safe ground for the home's electrical system. The plumbing system was grounded because its metal pipes extended a long way underground. Or at the water pipe where the ground wire runs to from your electrical service. Run the other end of the wire to where the piece of metal is you want to test. Then connect the multimeter between the piece of metal and the end of the wire.

Test for voltage first there should be none. Its purpose is to provide a low resistance path to clear shorts to the metal of equipment housing.

The wire to your copper pipe is the GEC Ground Electrode Conductor used to dissipate atmospheric charges and for bonding. Is it safe to ground to a water pipe? Category: home and garden home appliances. Water pipes have been used extensively in the past as a grounding electrode.

Water pipe connections are not testable and are unreliable due to the use of tar coatings and plastic fittings. The NEC requires that at least one additional electrode be installed when using water metal pipes as an electrode. Why is water pipe grounding not recommended? How do you ground plastic pipes? How do you bond a water pipe? You must bond the metal water piping system of a building or structure supplied by a feeder to one of the following:.

The equipment grounding terminal of the building disconnect enclosure. The feeder equipment grounding bonding conductor. One of the electrodes of the grounding electrode system. How many grounding rods are required? What's the difference between bonding and grounding? Everything that is grounded is connected to ground and can have no electrical energy stored in it.

They may be two wires, a wire and a pipe, or they may be two tin cans. But often not within 5 feet of the entrance of the home. A Electrodes Permitted for Grounding. A metal underground water pipe in direct contact with the earth for 3. Interior metal water piping located more than 1. There is a good reason for the 5 foot rule. Often in these older homes the plumbing has been modified and replaced with materials that are not conductive such as plastics. FWIW, depending on were you live, and the state of the soil, it's moisture level, and other properties, even 10' make not make a great ground.

For most situations, a GFCI protected circuit is safer. Yes, having the ground there can potentially help a little, but the GFCI is safer for people - a poor ground can still have enough potential to be dangerous.

A real ground can make a surge or EMI suppressor more effective. Reach4 , Aug 16, I think that a ground would be potentially useful in the event of lightening, and that GFCI would not. Joined: Mar 7, Location: Pennsylvania. Why are you interested in grounding your outlets? The simplest legal thing to do is to use two-prong outlets. Stuff , Aug 16, Speedy Petey , Aug 17, Electrical systems are connected to earth for four reasons as outlined in An earth connection in no way makes an electrical system safe and does nothing to clear a fault.

Using 25 ohms of resistance as mandated by the NEC then we would divide this 25 ohms into volts which would only equate to 4. Bonding the equipment grounding conductor to the neutral in the service equipment is what makes an electrical system safe. Now there is a low impedance path for fault current. You must log in or sign up to reply here. Show Ignored Content.