SECTION 16450 - GROUNDING

1.0 1.1

GENERAL GENERAL REQUIREMENTS The work required under this Section shall conform to the requirements of Division 1, General Requirements, Conditions of the Contract and Supplementary Conditions. Specific attention is called to the Division 16 General Requirements located in Section 16001.

1.2

WORK INCLUDED IN THIS SECTION Provide the grounding as shown on the drawings and as specified herein.

1.3

WORK INCLUDED IN OTHER SECTIONS Section 16110 Raceways and Boxes Section 16120 - Wires and Cables Section 16415 - Main Switchboard Section 16460 - Dry Type Transformers

1.4

REFERENCE STANDARDS The grounding system shall be designed, manufactured, tested and installed in compliance with the following standards: National Electrical Code (NEC)

2.0 2.1

PRODUCTS GROUNDING EQUIPMENT A. The equipment grounding system shall be designed so all metallic structures, enclosures, raceways, junction boxes, outlet boxes, cabinets, machine frames, portable equipment and other conductive items in close proximity with electrical circuits operate continuously at ground potential and provide a low impedance path for possible ground fault currents. The system shall comply with the National Electrical Code, and as hereinafter specified. The building equipment grounding system shall consist of the electrically continuous metallic conduit system together with equipment ground wires extended from the main service as indicated. Every item of equipment served by the electrical system shall be bonded to the building equipment ground. Portions of metallic piping and duct systems which are isolated by flexible connections, insulating couplings, etc., shall be bonded to the equipment ground with a flexible bonding jumper. All expansion joints, isolated couplings, points of electrical discontinuity, or connections in conduit where firm mechanical bond is not possible shall be bonded with OZ Type "BJ" or approved equal bonding jumper. Mechanical equipment shall be bonded electrically to the building equipment grounding system. This includes but is not limited to flexible duct connections, fans, pumps, etc. All flexible metal conduit connections not U.L. labeled as a grounding means shall have a ground conductor installed. Refer to Section 16110.

B.

C.

D. E.

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3.0 3.1

EXECUTION GENERAL A. The system neutral shall be grounded at the service entrance. The system neutral on interior wiring shall be kept isolated from grounding systems throughout the building and shall be grounded only to the electric service ground. Each system of electrically continuous metallic piping and ductwork shall be electrically grounded in accordance with the requirements of the Code for "Grounding Electrodes" and for "Grounding Conductors" as they apply to the grounding of "conductor enclosures and equipment only". Metallic piping and duct systems which enter the building shall be grounded at the point of entry with a grounding bond wire to the electric service ground. Isolated metallic piping and duct systems shall be bonded to the building equipment grounding system. Bonding and grounding wires shall be sized, shall be run in conduit, and shall be clamped to various services in accordance with the requirements of the City Authorities and the National Electrical Code. Where parallel conductors are used to comprise a single feeder, the ground wire in each conduit shall be fully rated sized in accordance with NEC these 250-95. Grounding shall be done in accordance with the requirements of, and subject to the approval of the Architect, Engineer, and local inspection authorities. Approved materials, devices, and workmanship shall be utilized.

B.

C.

D.

3.2

ELECTRIC SERVICE GROUND A. The electric service ground shall be bonded to the incoming cold water piping system to the building, and to ground rods as indicated on the Drawings. This bonding shall serve as the common ground conductor in accordance with the requirements of the Code. The Contractor shall not connect any grounding bond wires to water piping systems throughout the building except at one point. The electric service ground shall be installed in a separate conduit from the point of connection at the water main to the system neutral in the main switchboard. The common grounding conductor shall be insulated stranded copper, sized as required and/or as indicated on the Drawings and shall be without joints or splices over its entire length. When a standby/emergency generator source is grounded to the building (normal) service grounding electrode (water pipe), a permanent laminated engraved nameplate shall be chained at the ground point stating "Caution, both normal and emergency source(s) are connected to ground at this location".

B.

C.

3.3

GROUNDING LOOP A. Lightning arrester ground rods specified in the Section entitled "Lightning Protection System" shall be interconnected with a bonding loop conductor below the basement slab. The loop thus formed shall be bonded to the electric service ground and the transformer ground rods at the point of attachment to the ground rods. The bonding wires shall be bare copper conductors, size 375 lb. per 1000 feet, or larger if required by Code. Joints and splices shall be made only at the ground rods and shall be of the Cadwelded type.

B.

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3.4

TESTS A. The completed equipment grounding system shall be subjected to a metered test at switchboard ground bar to ensure that the ground resistance, without chemical treatment or other artificial means, does not exceed five (10) ohms. Testing shall be done using Fall of Potential method. Results shall be plotted on a graph with resistance in ohms on the Y axis and distance from the point being tested to potential test probe on the X axis. Current test probe shall be placed 1000' from point being tested. The potential probe placement shall be graphed at 30, 40, 50, 62, 75, 80, and 90% of the distance to the current probe. If the measured resistance does not level off at any point then repeat tests with the current test probe further away until measured resistance levels off at typically 62% the distance.

B.

END OF SECTION

Electra Memorial Hospital 20919.00 April 29, 2011

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