Results 1 to 7 of 7
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    2,797

    Default Furnace grounded to water line

    I resisted the temptation to pull the cover - it's the kind of curiosity that leaves the cat staring at a handful of disconnected unidentified conductors - but I am wondering:

    Why - in modern construction with conduit providing the ground path, and in what otherwise appeared to be a reasonably competent furnace installation - might someone go to all this trouble to add an additional ground (I presume) of this sort?

    Similar Threads:
    ***IMPORTANT*** You Need To Register To View Images ***IMPORTANT*** You Need To Register To View Images
    Crawl Space Creeper
    Michael Thomas
    Paragon Property Services Inc., Chicago IL
    http://paragoninspects.com

  2. #2
    A.D. Miller's Avatar
    A.D. Miller Guest

    Default Re: Furnace grounded to water line

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Thomas View Post
    I resisted the temptation to pull the cover - it's the kind of curiosity that leaves the cat staring at a handful of disconnected unidentified conductors - but I am wondering:

    Why - in modern construction with conduit providing the ground path, and in what otherwise appeared to be a reasonably competent furnace installation - might someone go to all this trouble to add an additional ground (I presume) of this sort?
    MT: Looks like a wrong-minded belt-and-suspenders approach to grounding/bonding. But, it probably will not hurt anything.


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    2,797

    Default Re: Furnace grounded to water line

    One thing that bothers me is the white wire - suppose that the jumper is actually to a grounded (neutral) conductor in the box, for example as some sort of Bozoide attempt to control galvanic corrosion...

    Michael Thomas
    Paragon Property Services Inc., Chicago IL
    http://paragoninspects.com

  4. #4
    A.D. Miller's Avatar
    A.D. Miller Guest

    Default Re: Furnace grounded to water line

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Thomas View Post
    One thing that bothers me is the white wire - suppose that the jumper is actually to a grounded (neutral) conductor in the box, for example as some sort of Bozoide attempt to control galvanic corrosion...
    MT: Could be, or maybe you've been watching too many sci-fi flicks.


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Fletcher, NC
    Posts
    28,032

    Default Re: Furnace grounded to water line

    I'm guessing that they somehow discovered that the copper pipe, water pipe?, was not "bonded" so that was their feeble attempt to "bond" the interior metal water piping system to ground.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Philadelphia PA
    Posts
    3,177

    Default Re: Furnace grounded to water line

    Quote Originally Posted by A.D. Miller View Post
    ...maybe you've been watching too many sci-fi flicks.
    The Attack of the Bozoids?

    "There is no exception to the rule that every rule has an exception." -James Thurber, writer and cartoonist (1894-1961)
    www.ArnoldHomeInspections.com

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    2,797

    Default Re: Furnace grounded to water line

    .... maybe you've been watching too many sci-fi flicks.

    Say you will... that white wire still bothers me....

    ***IMPORTANT*** You Need To Register To View Images ***IMPORTANT*** You Need To Register To View Images
    Last edited by Michael Thomas; 06-11-2009 at 09:34 AM.
    Michael Thomas
    Paragon Property Services Inc., Chicago IL
    http://paragoninspects.com

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •