SECTION 16450 Grounding Part 1 - General
SECTION 16450 Grounding Part 1 - General
SECTION 16450
GROUNDING
PART 1 - GENERAL
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1.1 DESCRIPTION
A. This section specifies general grounding and bonding requirements of
electrical installations for personnel safety and to provide a low
impedance path for possible ground fault currents.
B. “Grounding electrode system” refers to all electrodes required by NEC,
as well as including made, supplementary, lightning protection system
and telecommunications system grounding electrodes.
C. The terms “connect” and “bond” are used interchangeably in this
specification and have the same meaning.
1.2 RELATED WORK
A. Section 16050, BASIC METHODS AND REQUIREMENTS (ELECTRICAL): General
electrical requirements and items that are common to more than one
section of Division 16.
B. Section 16127, CABLES, LOW VOLTAGE (600 VOLTS AND BELOW): Low Voltage
power and lighting wiring.
C. Section 16670, LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM: Requirements for a
lightning protection system.
1.3 SUBMITTALS
A. Submit in accordance with Section 16050, BASIC METHODS AND REQUIREMENTS
(ELECTRICAL).
B. Shop Drawings:
1. Sufficient information, clearly presented, shall be included to
determine compliance with drawings and specifications.
2. Include the location of system grounding electrode connections and
the routing of aboveground and underground grounding electrode
conductors.
C. Test Reports: Provide certified test reports of ground resistance.
D. Certifications: Two weeks prior to final inspection, submit four copies
of the following to the Resident Engineer:
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copper conductor not less than No. 10 AWG. These conductors shall be
installed in rigid metal conduit.
3.5 CONDUCTIVE PIPING
A. Bond all conductive piping systems, interior and exterior, to the
building to the grounding electrode system. Bonding connections shall be
made as close as practical to the equipment ground bus.
B. In operating rooms and at intensive care and coronary care type beds,
bond the gases and suction piping, at the outlets, directly to the room
or patient ground bus.
3.6 LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Bond the lightning protection system to the electrical grounding
electrode system.
3.7 TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
Bond telecommunications system grounding equipment to the electrical
grounding electrode system.
3.8 GROUND RESISTANCE
A. Grounding system resistance to ground shall not exceed 5 ohms. Make
necessary modifications or additions to the grounding electrode system
for compliance without additional cost to the Government. Final tests
shall assure that this requirement is met.
B. Resistance of the grounding electrode system shall be measured using a
four-terminal fall-of-potential method as defined in IEEE Standard 81.
Ground resistance measurements shall be made before the electrical
distribution system is energized and shall be made in normally dry
conditions not less than 48 hours after the last rainfall. Resistance
measurements of separate grounding electrode systems shall be made
before the systems are bonded together below grade. The combined
resistance of separate systems may be used to meet the required
resistance, but the specified number of electrodes must still be
provided.
C. Services at power company interface points shall comply with the power
company ground resistance requirements.
D. Below-grade connections shall be visually inspected by the Resident
Engineer prior to backfilling. The Contractor shall notify the Resident
Engineer 24 hours before the connections are ready for inspection.
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