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Running Power to an external building
Posted on 2/24/25 at 8:42 am
Posted on 2/24/25 at 8:42 am
I am running power to an external building, running from the external box from the house to a breaker box in the shop. Do you need a ground rod for the external building or does the ground rod on the outside hose breaker rod suffice
6
Posted on 2/24/25 at 8:52 am to Skip Winkman
I did the same thing and put a ground rod at the building. I am not sure if it needed it but the cost of a ground rod was negligible so I went ahead and put one in.
Posted on 2/24/25 at 9:22 am to Skip Winkman
It's not required. If your shop has underground metal plumbing, then you do need to bond the ground to the pipe.
Don't bond the ground/neutral together at the external building panel. If you do, then you'll have neutral currents flowing through the ground conductor.
Don't bond the ground/neutral together at the external building panel. If you do, then you'll have neutral currents flowing through the ground conductor.
Posted on 2/24/25 at 9:24 am to Skip Winkman
Pretty sure by code you have to ground the breaker box in the external building.
That's my understanding at least, I'm no electrician.
That's my understanding at least, I'm no electrician.
Posted on 2/24/25 at 10:37 am to Skip Winkman
Depends on some additional details. I put a 60a double pole on main breaker with 2224 running to 100a sub panel in detached building. 2 ground rods at detached building and grounded all metal outlet boxes and the metal building frame. Unbond neutral and grounds at detached building.
Posted on 2/24/25 at 11:22 am to heatom2
quote:
Pretty sure by code you have to ground the breaker box in the external building.
The equipment ground conductor from the main house is sufficient in this case. The "ground rod" being discussed is typically required at the "service", which in this case is at the main house. The OP's situation doesn't involve a service, it's simply a feeder from another building. There may be bonding requirements for the new panel at the OPs shop building (like the metal plumbing that I mentioned in a previous post), but probably not.
The key word is "where present". The ground rod isn't required since it's not a service.
Posted on 2/24/25 at 11:44 am to Skip Winkman
I don’t know much about electrical work however, the majority of my electrical problems have involved grounding. As a result, I would install a ground rod at the shed as well.
Posted on 2/24/25 at 12:04 pm to THRILLHO
quote:
The equipment ground conductor from the main house is sufficient in this case. The "ground rod" being discussed is typically required at the "service", which in this case is at the main house. The OP's situation doesn't involve a service, it's simply a feeder from another building. There may be bonding requirements for the new panel at the OPs shop building (like the metal plumbing that I mentioned in a previous post), but probably not.
Needing a ground rod at a secondary panel depends on the governing authority. In Ascension, the building department requires a ground rod at a secondary panel if it is of "significant" distance. I had to install a ground rod on a panel that was within the same structure that was 70 ft away.
Posted on 2/24/25 at 12:18 pm to Skip Winkman
To confuse you more, I'm going to go opposite of most here and say no ground rod at building and even its bad to have one.
I researched this extensively when in the same situation and as I came to understand, you only want a ground rod/system at the meter/main panel. The reason, as I understood, was usually lightening enters your electrical system from the powergrid. You want that strike to enter the earth asap. With multiple points of grounding, the strike meanders about, finding different earth points. doing damage along the way. This doesn't mean no damage will be done, but it reduces the chances somewhat.
I used Mike Holt as most of my research reference.
Before I looked into it on my own, I asked multiple electricians. All 3 gave different answers. That's how poorly grounding is understood and why I did my own investigating.
I researched this extensively when in the same situation and as I came to understand, you only want a ground rod/system at the meter/main panel. The reason, as I understood, was usually lightening enters your electrical system from the powergrid. You want that strike to enter the earth asap. With multiple points of grounding, the strike meanders about, finding different earth points. doing damage along the way. This doesn't mean no damage will be done, but it reduces the chances somewhat.
I used Mike Holt as most of my research reference.
Before I looked into it on my own, I asked multiple electricians. All 3 gave different answers. That's how poorly grounding is understood and why I did my own investigating.
Posted on 2/24/25 at 12:28 pm to 2 Jugs
Gotcha. I've never had the issue in JP/Orleans/neighboring parishes, though 99% of the "secondary" buildings that I deal with will have metal plumbing/building frame, so it's getting bonded regardless.
That's insane, especially if it's a renovation where installing a ground rod isn't going to be easy.
quote:
I had to install a ground rod on a panel that was within the same structure that was 70 ft away
That's insane, especially if it's a renovation where installing a ground rod isn't going to be easy.
Posted on 2/24/25 at 1:50 pm to THRILLHO
quote:
That's insane, especially if it's a renovation where installing a ground rod isn't going to be easy.
In this instance, it was no trouble to add the ground rod.
I am a small contractor just getting back into the game. The inspector and I had a long discussion about this topic.
Posted on 2/24/25 at 7:41 pm to THRILLHO
Nice. I thought my parish required a grounding rod in an external building for a panel but I couldve misunderstood
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