How To Bond Electrical Panel
Types of gas lines first. It is manufactured under various brand names, including CounterStrike® and Flashstrike®. Many modern homes served with natural gas or propane (LP) have some CSST (corrugated stainless steel tubing) installed. 250-104(b) of the National Electrical Code (NEC) agrees with this mandate. CSST either has a yellow jacket or a black jacket. BUT that does not mean they are safe. That type of power surge could potentially puncture a hole in the CSST and cause a fire. When bonding a gas pipe to a water pipe, it is important to use bonding clamps that are specifically designed for bonding gas pipes. Gas lines should always be bonded at their point of connection to ensure a safe and efficient system. As you can see, there is a significant multi-year gap in which Building Codes did not require proper bonding of flexible gas lines.
Gas Line Bonding Wire
In modern new construction, some areas rely on the plumbers installing CSST to bond the material upon installation but, it appears that, most plumbers don't understand bonding and the electrical codes. The reason for this is that they're not comfortable with the installation instructions for the other stuff, which says "Care should be taken when installing vertical runs to maintain as much separation as reasonably possible from other electrically conductive systems in the building. Some manufacturers of CSST offer a product with a black outer "arc-resistant" jacket, which tells you it's an arc-resistant product. Black iron/galvanized pipe. The risk is tremendously reduced when CSST flexible gas lines are "bonded " (BONDED DEFINED: Connected with wiring to take electrical current away from CSST flexible gas lines in the event of a lightening-strike on or near the home). These lines are made in many sizes, from quite large to residential-service lines going to individual homes or a home's exterior equipment like pool heaters or backup generators.
Only that it met building code requirements at the time it was installed. If you are unsure as to whether your home has CSST or whether it has been properly bonded and grounded, contact a licensed electrician to arrange for a professional inspection. CSST must be installed by a qualified professional and in accordance with the Manufacturer's Design and Installation (D&I) Guide, which now expressly includes bonding and grounding of the system. It requires a bonding conductor (most commonly braided or solid copper wiring such as #6 AWG copper or #4 aluminum) to be connected to the gas line and then connected to the home's electrical grounding system (normally to a grounding terminal in the home's main breaker panel). Properly installed bond wires provide a low-impedance path between two pieces of metal piping, helping to ensure maximum safety when working with natural gas systems. 15 does not allow you to use aboveground portions of a metal gas piping system or its components as a conductor in electrical circuits. If our customers have any concerns on any work done with or around their gas and electric utilities, they are encouraged to call our customer service line at 1-800-411-7343 and request a technician to inspect it. The video below, produced by Gastite, shows a couple of examples of properly bonded CSST.
Grounding electrode conductor: The conductor used to connect the grounding electrode to the equipment-grounding conductor, to the grounded conductor, or to both; of the circuit at the service equipment or at the source of a separately derived system. Even worse, there could be a fire or explosion. It is engineered to significantly decrease the potential for lightning-induced damage to fuel gas piping systems IF, installed correctly. Bonding wires provide a low-impedance path between metal pipes so that any static electricity buildup can be safely discharged from the system. 2011- NFPA 70 National Electric Code added CSST bonding reference. Each manufacturer has a huge document telling you about all of the dos and don'ts, and I've found them to all be pretty similar, as they should be. The cost to have a qualified electrician properly bond CSST per the manufacturer's specifications is most often inexpensive, however it can be more difficult if the home has a finished basement with drywall ceilings since the bonding normally takes place at accessible gas plumbing from the basement. This material is not to be confused with an appliance connector, which might have a yellow coating that follows the contours of the ridges. By placing the metallic portion of yellow CSST at permanent ground potential (bonding), the risks of possible damage and/or fire related to nearby lightning strikes is greatly diminished. There are documented incidents where severe lightning has struck homes. If something is deemed unsafe due to a change in accepted residential construction standards, my Standard of Practice requires me to report on it, whether it met code at the time it was installed or not. Grounding Electrode System. How do you complete bonding gas pipe to water pipe?
Bonding Gas Line To Electrical Panel On Climate Change
Two examples of these products are CounterStrike® and FlashShield™. That version of the NEC was the first to require an intersystem bonding terminal for low-voltage communication equipment such as television cables, satellites, and phones. Electrical Bonding Must Be Present In Homes With Csst Gas Lines — to Reduce The Risk Of Fire Or Explosion Resulting From Damaged Gas Lines In The Event Of A Lightning-strike. If CSST was installed (in compliance to code) before CSST manufacturers had made the special requirements for bonding, that installation still meets code today. 250-104(c) in the 1999 NEC (previously Sec. A bonding connection where yellow CSST meets black iron pipe. A tracer wire is usually not connected directly to the meter, though it can be. Polyethylene flexible gas piping is engineered and certified for underground installations.
When building officials have asked the manufacturer how much distance is required, the manufacturer has left it up to the building official. If the tubing is damaged, a leak could form. The other end of that wire shown above went into the main electric panel.
When a black iron pipe is installed, every time the pipe changes direction, a joint needs to be fitted and checked for leaks. While both CSST and FAC are made with stainless steel & carry gas — that's where their similarities end. As always, if you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out to us. The electrical service grounding system. Older CSST lines, which are yellow, require bonding with a grounding wire because they are more likely to become damaged, leading to possible damage, fire, or an explosion. 2, CSST lines "shall be electrically continuous and bonded to the electrical service grounding electrode system or where provided, lightning protection grounding electrode system. For example, Gastite says "The bonding clamp attachment point may be at any location within the gas piping system.
Bonding A Gas Line
If you had gas piping system installed or modified after 1990, the chances that CSST was installed is very high. 52 of the National Electric Code, which lists the following: - Metal Underground Water Pipe. All manufacturers of CSST began implementing Specific Bonding Requirements as soon as 2007. 1, the NFGC states, "Gas piping other than CSST shall be considered to be bonded when it is connected to appliances that are connected to the appliance grounding conductor of the circuit supplying that appliance. " The corrugated stainless-steel portion of the flexible CSST pipe (Clamps must be attached to: the brass fitting, steel manifold, or other rigid steel pipe). When this type of gas-distribution system is installed, without being properly bonded to current standards, there is an increased risk for damage.
Other metal piping: NEC Sec. FAC corrugation is highly visible. Interested in one of our services? A lightning strike to a steel chimney cap, can extend into the house. In summary, you cannot use a metal underground gas piping system as a grounding electrode. During routine checks of our equipment, we have discovered that some solar systems, alarm systems, cable and other equipment are being electrically grounded to natural gas equipment.
Building Codes, including Plumbing & Electrical Codes were updated based on the growing incidents of house fires. In the 2000s, manufacturers started manufacturing a different type of CSST with a black exterior sheathing (see image below) which has different electrical and chemical properties. For these reasons, you should never allow an installer to ground your solar system, or any other electrical equipment, to SDG&E meters, pipes or valves. This is typically done by driving two ground rods spaced at least 6' apart, and connecting the rods together using a properly sized bonding jumper. He can be reached at: 717-361-9467 or. Millions of Americans rely on natural gas each day to make their lives easier and more comfortable. CSST should not be confused with natural gas appliance flexible connectors. Where does CSST need to be bonded, inside or outside of the house? During the electrical grounding process, a wire is connected to a metal rod, or another object, that is placed in the ground. My panel is currently grounded to my water service, connected at the panel to the neutral feed bus (see picture). They may also short-circuit electronics and appliances during a surge. Whether it's used to heat homes or run water heaters, dry clothes, help cook food on a gas range, or do myriad other things, natural gas has become a cost-effective and reliable energy option for many Americans. It is between 1–6 feet long.
The bottom line is that if you have a home with CSST, you should make sure it's properly bonded to today's standards, regardless of whether the installation 'met code' when it was originally installed. Today I'll cover the rules for CSST bonding. Their testing shows bonding will largely mitigate the risk for only "indirect" lightning strikes (those that do not hit the home). Tinned copper is more corrosion resistant than bare copper and has a longer lifespan.