[jeffnc]

I'm a little confused about the electric code here. Someone removed the dishwasher to do some work. I want to reinstall it but the source wire is ungrounded (whole house uses ungrounded wiring). I'm not sure if the dishwasher was wired ungrounded originally. I saw nearby a wire that was wrapped around a nearby copper pipe, so I don't know if it might have been connected to that.

My thought was to go to where the copper pipe enters the house (crawlspace) through the dirt and bond a ground wire to it. Actually I've already done that, but I've tried to interpret the code and it sounds like that ground wire also has to be bonded to any grounding leads connected to a grounding rod the house might be using.

What's the correct thing to do here?

 

[joecaption]

Go back and add where you live to your profile.

 

[NJMarine]

Without getting to technical this is whatt was probably done. The dishwasher frame was bonded and grounded to the copper pipe.
A wire is run from the frame to the copper pipe. This bonds the frame which stops someone getting shock and grounds the dishwasher which allows faults to be cleared by tripping the circuit breaker.

 

[jeffnc]

Without getting to technical this is whatt was probably done. The dishwasher frame was bonded and grounded to the copper pipe.
A wire is run from the frame to the copper pipe. This bonds the frame which stops someone getting shock and grounds the dishwasher which allows faults to be cleared by tripping the circuit breaker.

Are you joking with me? I understand electricity.

If anyone has an answer to my actual question I'd really appreciate it.

 

[AllanJ]

To properly ground the dishwasher you run a ground wire (same size 12 or 14 gauge as the circuit conductors) from the dishwasher frame to the ground bus bar (terminal strip) in the breaker panel where its breaker is. This equipment grounding conductor may follow any route convenient for you.

Should this EGC first reach a fat ground wire (grounding electrode conductor) between the panel and a ground rod or water pipe, it can end and be clamped on there.

If the power feed cable already contains an EGC then so much the better.

 

[TTW]

Older code allowed a ground wire to be run to any convenient water pipe, say to ground a receptacle. The 2011 code does not allow this, but recommends protecting receptacles with no ground with GFCI.

Where you live will determine the version of code that applies, not all areas have adopted 2011.

You may also be grandfathered on this stuff.

I would ground to the water pipe with a proper clamp (not just wrapped around) or run new wire.

You should also ensure that your main service is bonded to the water pipe where it enters your house with # 4 (200 amp service) or #6 (under 200 amps) copper wire.

 

[NJMarine]

Are you joking with me? I understand electricity.

If anyone has an answer to my actual question I'd really appreciate it.

I posted information so that not just you could read and get posssible get something out of it, but others as well, since this is DIY forum.
TTW is correct in his post.

 

[stickboy1375]

What's the correct thing to do here?

Run a new circuit and be done with it....

 

[jeffnc]

You should also ensure that your main service is bonded to the water pipe where it enters your house with # 4 (200 amp service) or #6 (under 200 amps) copper wire.

Yeah, it's not. As I said, I added a clamp there myself, but stopped short of connecting the ground wire to the dishwasher because as I reread the code it became unclear.

 

[Rochsolid]

Are you joking with me? I understand electricity.

If anyone has an answer to my actual question I'd really appreciate it.

If your gonna cop an attitude with someone who is trying to help you out, because you a clearly over your head here, my advice is to hire an electrician

 

[TTW]

Yeah, it's not. As I said, I added a clamp there myself, but stopped short of connecting the ground wire to the dishwasher because as I reread the code it became unclear.

Not talking about the dishwasher here.

I am talking about the main electrical panel being ground to the water pipe. It must be bonded to the water pipe within 5 feet of where the pipe enters your home.

If you ground other things to the water piping, but the main panel is not properly grounded to the water piping, it will do you no good. In your case, the water piping is being used as a grounding conductor. I am assuming copper pipe and soldered joints. There also should be a supplemental grounding conductor, an 8 foot ground rod, (and possibly 2 depending on local codes), also connected to the main panel or meter base.

This is not just a one point thing, it is a whole "system".

 

[Stubbie]

Are you joking with me? I understand electricity.

If anyone has an answer to my actual question I'd really appreciate it.

Assuming that the proper bonding has been done with the house electrical service and all the water pipes are metal ...copper etc.. what NJ Marine said would be accurate. Only thing that might cause an issue is if you connected to the hot water pipe instead of the cold.

 

[TTW]

Assuming that the proper bonding has been done with the house electrical service and all the water pipes are metal ...copper etc.. what NJ Marine said would be accurate. Only thing that might cause an issue is if you connected to the hot water pipe instead of the cold.

You should bond across the hot water heater!

 

[jeffnc]

Not talking about the dishwasher here.

I am talking about the main electrical panel being ground to the water pipe. It must be bonded to the water pipe within 5 feet of where the pipe enters your home.

Yeah, that's what I was talking about. There's nothing connected within the first 20 feet of water pipe entering the crawlspace from the ground.

If you ground other things to the water piping, but the main panel is not properly grounded to the water piping, it will do you no good.

OK.

In your case, the water piping is being used as a grounding conductor.

I'm not sure it is. Other than that badly connected wire in the vicinity, which might or might not have been used by the dishwasher, I don't see any evidence of anything being connected to the copper piping.

There also should be a supplemental grounding conductor, an 8 foot ground rod, (and possibly 2 depending on local codes), also connected to the main panel or meter base.

It's time to head deeper into the crawlspace jungle and see if I can figure this out.

Thanks for the code quote.

 

[TTW]

Yeah, that's what I was talking about. There's nothing connected within the first 20 feet of water pipe entering the crawlspace from the ground.



OK.



I'm not sure it is. Other than that badly connected wire in the vicinity, which might or might not have been used by the dishwasher, I don't see any evidence of anything being connected to the copper piping.



It's time to head deeper into the crawlspace jungle and see if I can figure this out.

Thanks for the code quote.

See if there is a bare copper wire, about the thickness of a pencil, going into your main panel, or into your meter box outside and if there is, see if you can find where it or they originate.

 

[stickboy1375]

See if there is a bare copper wire, about the thickness of a pencil, going into your main panel, or into your meter box outside and if there is, see if you can find where it or they originate.

Why would it be bare?

 

[AllanJ]

Why would it be bare?

Cheaper than insulated wire, and ground wires don't need insulation considering that they often run between exposed metal objects.

If a ground wire is insulated, the insulation must be green in color.

Water meters and water heaters should have a #6* copper wire connected between the inlet and outlet pipes (if metal), with an appropriate clamp holding it on each pipe. Sections of metal plumbing not bonded (electrically connected) together because of a piece of plastic pipe in between should similarly be bonded.

* Larger if the building service is for more than 100 amps, I don't have the size table handy now.

 

[TTW]

Why would it be bare?

Just what I usually see, but I was going to bring that up. In my house it is actually insulated and is black, but pretty obvious in my case at the water meter, as about 2 feet was stripped to jump around the water meter.

Anyhow, it would probably be a thick single wire going it's own little lonesome way...

 

[Jim Port]

Neither a bonding jumper or a GEC is required to be green if insulated.

 

[hidden1]

And when you are in crawl space look for any shut offs or pressure regulators etc in water line, where that pipe comes into home.They need to be jumpered also.. Main GEC must be within 5ft of where pipe enters crawlspace ..pic