[hotrodjohn71]

My house was built in 1950. See photo of old original exterior main wall mount meter (box not in photo). In 1996, a contractor upgraded the box to the one in the images on the top of this thread. I noticed they didn't connect this ground wire pictured. The wire goes down into the dirt and they just hang it on the conduit. Should it be hooked to the box housing or is it no longer necessary with the upgraded box? Thank you.

 

[Oldmaster]

Looks like one goes to the ground rod and the other possibly to water pipe. They could be old grounding electrode conductors. Best bet is open panel and see if there are new grounding electrode conductors connected to neutral bar.

 

[anyacolo]

In 1996, a contractor upgraded the box to the one in the images on the top of this thread. I noticed they didn't connect this ground wire pictured.

if its been fine for 24 years, don't worry about it

 

[Drachenfire]

Do not mess around when it comes to grounding especially with electricity. Lack of a properly grounded panel can result in destroyed electronics and appliances and even your home being severely damaged or destroyed by fire.

If you cannot confirm a solid ground wire in the box as Oldmaster suggested, contact an electrician ASAP.

When I worked telco, the company took the risk of fire so seriously that failure to ground the Network Interface Device (NID), which is the box your phone line comes into from the outside, was an immediate termination offense.

 

[Oldmaster]

That's probably the dumbest comment I ever heard regarding electrical equipment. Just because it works doesn't mean it's safe. Very easy to check,isn't it worth the peace of mind?

 

[Oldmaster]

Was the panel change inspected ?

 

[hotrodjohn71]

It was inspected and everything has worked fine but I'd just like to understand it before I remove that old ground wire in the first photos thats haging around the pvc conduit.
. Here's a picture inside the box. I don't see any wire to a ground source.

 

[hotrodjohn71]

........

 

[hotrodjohn71]

One sing did come to mind and I don't know if it is a viable possibility. Looking at that strip there is one very heavy gauge copper wire. I noticed that wire running through the attic and possibly over to an interior fuse panel that was also added in 1996. could that be where the actual ground electrode is?

 

[Drachenfire]

It was inspected and everything has worked fine but I'd just like to understand it before I remove that old ground wire in the first photos thats haging around the pvc conduit.
. Here's a picture inside the box. I don't see any wire to a ground source.

I do not see a ground source either however it is hard to sort the wires in those pictures.

If it was my home, I would call an electrician to check over the whole box. The $100-$150 cost is cheap insurance against the possibility of an improperly wired panel burning your house down.

 

[Oldmaster]

I do see one larger solid wire. Probably a grounding electrode conductor.

 

[hotrodjohn71]

I was under the assumption that the ground electrode was usually installed at the outside pannel (right where power comes in from the power pole).
. Maybe its possible the electrode was installed at the other fuse pannel (inside the house) that was added durring new construction in '96 and that heavy gauge copper wire running through my attic to the exterior fuse box\ meter box (in the above photos) is grounded that way. If I were an electrician, I think I would have reused that Exhisting ground electrode they hung on the pvc conduit. Maybe they did an ufer ground at the new addition inside the house.

 

[seharper]

I spend a lot of time dealing with multiple MWBCs in conduit, where I have to be super careful to keep my neutrals carefully separated and matched correctly. With grounds you just get to glom them together. So much easier!

So I would just ascertain that the grounding electrode system is in good order, and then add this ground to it. More the merrier!

 

[Oldmaster]

I guess it boils down to this. Do you have an NEC compliant grounding system? Make sure you have a #4 wire from panel to water pipe. Also make sure you have at least a #6 wire to at least one ground rod. You should be able to see these. I'm guessing the existing old grounding stuff may be the wrong size and can be removed. First make sure your grounding system is there. Good luck.