Plastic Water Piping
Posted by Robert from New York, NY, US on March 12, 2009
Code requires that interior metal piping be bonded to ground. When a (non-residential) building is plumbed using plastic pipe, but metallic faucets, handles, sinks, etc., what should be done? Is water conductive enough to trip circuit breakers? If a toaster fell into a metal sink, while water is running, could a person be shocked while washing hands at another washbasin (assuming actual or potential contact with grounded surroundings)?
Sec. 250.104(A)(2) says that "in buildings of multiple occupancy where metal water piping systems(s) installed in or attached to a building or structure for the individual occupancies is metalically isolated from all other occupancies by the use of nonmetallic water piping, the metal metal water piping system(s) for each occupancy shall be permitted to be bonded to the equipment grounding terminal of the panelboard or switchboard enclosure (other than service equipment) supplying that occupancy. I would assume that you have bonded the building's service to its metallic water service piping, as required by the NEC. Water is conductive, but whether it can conduct enough ground fault current to trip a circuit breaker is a good question. Your question about the toaster falling into a metal sink while water is running is moot, since it would probably be plugged into a GFCI receptacle, which trips on much smaller current.
eight overcurrent devices in a subpanel
Posted by John from Arlington, MA, VI on March 10, 2009
Are you allowed to have more than six overcurrent devices in a remote subpanel if the main disconnect is not readily accessible (in a locked room, in a different building or panel located on third floor and main disconnect in basement)?
The "Rule of Six" that you're referring to applies to services and focuses on the number of service disconnecting means permitted for each service, per Sec. 230.2, or for each set of service entrance conductors, as permitted by Sec. 230.40. Per Sec. 225.33, it also applies to the number of switches or circuit breakers in any subpanels in situations where you have "more than one building or structure on the same property and under single management" being fed from the load side of service disconnecting means. In other words, yes, you are limited to six overcurrent devices.
Bonding Neutral to Ground
Posted by David from Mzuzu, OT, MW on March 10, 2009
All the electricians I have worked with in Malawi say bonding neutral to ground is not done and illegal. This seems to me as bad as their other practice which is switching neutral at the main breakers and water heaters. What is the actual law in Malawi?
I am not familiar with any electrical codes that apply in Malawi, si I can't comment on their requirements. In the U.S., we use the National Electrical Code (NEC). Sec. 250.24(B) of the NEC requires that for a grounded system, you must have an unspliced bonding jumper connected between equipment grounding conductor(s) and the service-disconnect enclosure to the grounded (neutral) conductor within the enclosure for each service disconnect.