260526.pdf

Parking Garage Project Number 693-222 Department of Veterans Affairs Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

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SECTION 26 05 26 - GROUNDING AND BONDING FOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

PART 1 - GENERAL

1.1 DESCRIPTION

A. This section specifies the furnishing, installation, connection, and testing of grounding and bonding equipment, indicated as grounding equipment in this section.

B. “Grounding electrode system

” refers to grounding electrode conductors and all electrodes required or allowed by NEC, as well as made, supplementary, and lightning protection system grounding electrodes.

C. The terms “connect” and “bond” are used interchangeably in this section and have the same meaning.

1.2 RELATED WORK

A. Section 26 05 11, REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS:

Requirements that apply to all sections of Division 26.

B. Section 26 05 19, LOW-VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL POWER CONDUCTORS AND CABLES: Low-voltage conductors.

C. Section 26 05 33, RACEWAY AND BOXES FOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS: Conduit and boxes.

D. Section 26 24 16, PANELBOARDS: Low-voltage panelboards.

1.3 QUALITY ASSURANCE

A. Refer to Paragraph, QUALIFICATIONS (PRODUCTS AND SERVICES), in Section 26

05 11, REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS.

1.4 SUBMITTALS

A. Submit six copies of the following in accordance with Section 26 05 11, REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS.

1. Shop Drawings:

a. Submit sufficient information to demonstrate compliance with drawings and specifications.

b. Submit plans showing the location of system grounding electrodes and connections, and the routing of aboveground and underground grounding electrode conductors.

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2. Test Reports:

a. Two weeks prior to the final inspection, submit ground resistance field test reports to the Resident Engineer.

3. Certifications:

a. Certification by the Contractor that the grounding equipment has been properly installed and tested.

1.5 APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS

A. Publications listed below (including amendments, addenda, revisions, supplements, and errata) form a part of this specification to the extent referenced. Publications are referenced in the text by designation only.

B. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM):

B1-07 .....................................Standard Specification for Hard-Drawn Copper Wire

B3-07 .....................................Standard Specification for Soft or Annealed Copper Wire

B8-11 .....................................Standard Specification for Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors, Hard, Medium-Hard, or Soft

C. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE):

81-83 .....................................IEEE Guide for Measuring Earth Resistivity, Ground Impedance, and Earth Surface Potentials of a Ground System Part 1: Normal Measurements

D. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA):

70-11 .....................................National Electrical Code (NEC)

70E-12 ...................................National Electrical Safety Code

99-12 .....................................Health Care Facilities

E. Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL):

44-10 ....................................Thermoset-Insulated Wires and Cables

83-08 ....................................Thermoplastic-Insulated Wires and Cables

467-07 ..................................Grounding and Bonding Equipment

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PART 2 - PRODUCTS

2.1 GROUNDING AND BONDING CONDUCTORS

A. Equipment grounding conductors shall be insulated stranded copper, except that sizes No. 10 AWG and smaller shall be solid copper. Insulation color shall be continuous green for all equipment grounding conductors, except that wire sizes No. 4 AWG and larger shall be identified per NEC.

B. Bonding conductors shall be bare stranded copper, except that sizes No. 10 AWG and smaller shall be bare solid copper. Bonding conductors shall be stranded for final connection to motors, transformers, and vibrating equipment.

C. Conductor sizes shall not be less than shown on the drawings, or not less than required by the NEC, whichever is greater.

D. Insulation: THHN-THWN.

2.2 GROUND CONNECTIONS

A. Below Grade and Inaccessible Locations: Exothermic-welded type connectors.

B. Above Grade:

1. Bonding Jumpers: Listed for use with aluminum and copper conductors. For wire sizes No. 8 AWG and larger, use compression-type connectors. For wire sizes smaller than No. 8 AWG, use mechanical type lugs. Connectors or lugs shall use steel bolts, nuts, and washers. Bolts shall be torqued to the values recommended by the manufacturer.

2. Connection to Building Steel: Exothermic-welded type connectors.

3. Connection to Grounding Bus Bars: Listed for use with aluminum and copper conductors. Use mechanical type lugs, with steel bolts, nuts, and washers. Bolts shall be torqued to the values recommended by the manufacturer.

4. Connection to Equipment Rack and Cabinet Ground Bars: Listed for use with aluminum and copper conductors. Use mechanical type lugs, with steel bolts, nuts, and washers. Bolts shall be torqued to the values recommended by the manufacturer.

2.3 GROUND TERMINAL BLOCKS

A. At any equipment mounting location (e.g., backboards and hinged cover enclosures) where rack-type ground bars cannot be mounted, provide mechanical type lugs, with steel bolts, nuts, and washers. Bolts shall be torqued to the values recommended by the manufacturer.

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PART 3 - EXECUTION

3.1 GENERAL

A. Install grounding equipment in accordance with the NEC, as shown on the drawings, and as specified herein.

B. Equipment Grounding: Metallic piping, building structural steel, electrical enclosures, raceways, junction boxes, outlet boxes, cabinets, machine frames, and other conductive items in close proximity with electrical circuits, shall be bonded and grounded.

3.2 INACCESSIBLE GROUNDING CONNECTIONS

A. Make grounding connections, which are normally buried or otherwise inaccessible, by exothermic weld.

3.3 SECONDARY VOLTAGE EQUIPMENT AND CIRCUITS

A. Main Bonding Jumper: Bond the secondary service neutral to the ground bus in the service equipment.

B. Metallic Piping, Building Structural Steel, and Supplemental Electrode(s):

1. Provide a grounding electrode conductor sized per NEC between the service equipment ground bus and all metallic water pipe systems, building structural steel, and supplemental or made electrodes. Provide jumpers across insulating joints in the metallic piping.

2. Provide a supplemental ground electrode as shown on the drawings and bond to the grounding electrode system.

C. Panelboards and other electrical equipment:

1. Connect the equipment grounding conductors to the ground bus.

2. Connect metallic conduits by grounding bushings and equipment grounding conductor to the equipment ground bus.

3.4 RACEWAY

A. Conduit Systems:

1. Ground all metallic conduit systems. All metallic conduit systems shall contain an equipment grounding conductor.

2. Non-metallic conduit systems, except non-metallic feeder conduits that carry a grounded conductor from exterior transformers to interior or building-mounted service entrance equipment, shall contain an equipment grounding conductor.

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3. Metallic conduit that only contains a grounding conductor, and is provided for its mechanical protection, shall be bonded to that conductor at the entrance and exit from the conduit.

4. Metallic conduits which terminate without mechanical connection to an electrical equipment housing by means of locknut and bushings or adapters, shall be provided with grounding bushings. Connect bushings with an equipment grounding conductor to the equipment ground bus.

B. Feeders and Branch Circuits: Install equipment grounding conductors with all feeders, and power and lighting branch circuits.

C. Boxes, Cabinets, Enclosures, and Panelboards:

1. Bond the equipment grounding conductor to each pullbox, junction box, outlet box, device box, cabinets, and other enclosures through which the conductor passes (except for special grounding systems for intensive care units and other critical units shown).

2. Provide lugs in each box and enclosure for equipment grounding conductor termination.

D. Receptacles shall not be grounded through their mounting screws. Ground receptacles with a jumper from the receptacle green ground terminal to the device box ground screw and a jumper to the branch circuit equipment grounding conductor.

E. Fixed electrical appliances and equipment shall be provided with a ground lug for termination of the equipment grounding conductor.

3.5 CORROSION INHIBITORS

A. When making grounding and bonding connections, apply a corrosion inhibitor to all contact surfaces. Use corrosion inhibitor appropriate for protecting a connection between the metals used.

3.6 CONDUCTIVE PIPING

A. Bond all conductive piping systems, interior and exterior, 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 medical gas piping and medical vacuum piping at the outlets directly to the patient ground bus.

3.7 LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM

A. Bond the lightning protection system to the electrical grounding electrode system.

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3.8 GROUND RESISTANCE

A. Grounding system resistance to ground shall not exceed 5 ohms. Make any modifications or additions to the grounding electrode system necessary for compliance without additional cost to the Government. Final tests shall ensure that this requirement is met.

B. Grounding system resistance shall comply with the electric utility company ground resistance requirements.

3.9 ACCEPTANCE CHECKS AND TESTS

A. Resistance of the grounding electrode system shall be measured using a four-terminal fall-of-potential method as defined in IEEE 81. Ground resistance measurements shall be made before the electrical distribution system is energized or connected to the electric utility company ground system, and shall be made in normally dry conditions not fewer than 48 hours after the last rainfall.

B. Resistance measurements of separate grounding electrode systems shall be made before the systems are bonded together. 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. 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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