Pete C. wrote:
John Ross wrote:

Quick recap: 1960 house, crawlspace, 2 wire romex, grounds only run to
baths and kitchen, galvanized water pipe to street was used for
grounding (NO ground rod).

I want to ground 2 or 3 outlets and discussed going to a water pipe
method here. Everyone mentioned the "5 foot rule" per NEC. Some were
concerned about the ground not tripping the breaker. I have had
nothing but problems finding a good electrician in my town!!! I think
I finally did and want input on his plan.

Talking on the phone, he proposed the following and said it would pass
code (local):

1. Drive 8 foot ground rod and connect to panel.
2. From desired ungrounded receptacle(s) go through floor to
crawlspace with ground wire and run back to panel.
3. One receptacle is for pc, and he suggested doing same method, but
use new wire and make it a dedicated circuit so there would be no
interference or something with pc. Not sure if this is necessary?

In doing the above, how specifically should it be done to meet NEC?

If I understand, it will still need to be bonded to the water pipe.
Should that be within 5 foot of water entrance point? And can you bond
it to more than one place (i.e. to the 5 foot and also close to
panel?). I'm still not up to speed on this bonding concept, hence the
question.

Is there a specific way of doing it so that it will ensure that it
trips the breaker? Do the grounds go IN the panel or are they attached
to ground rod (assuming ground rod is attached to panel). Does it
matter?

At what point (if any) can the ground wires be combined into one? I
seem to remember something about you couldn't use a junction box--
everyone had to have a home run. I just don't understand enough about
this to know where that home run ends?

Not sure if this is relate to the above, but he did mention something
about "looping" the grounds--but I am not sure where he meant that or
what it means.

Hopefully, that is a good enough description that you can not only
answer questions, but raise any issues that you forsee (as you can
tell, I am not too up on electrical).

--
John

Not getting into the NEC, but if you have access via a crawl space to
drop new ground wires down from the receptacles in question and run them
back to the panel, I'd simply run a complete new wire (romex 12/2
w/ground) and be done with it. The extra cost of the wire is piddly
compared to the labor required to run it, which should be about the same
whether it's running a single conductor or a full cable. If / when you
sell the place in the future, an add-on ground along side old two
conductor romex is likely to raise questions with any home inspectors /
buyers even if it's to code, vs. clean new runs of modern grounded
romex.

Clarifiation: The wiring does not run in the crawlspace, so you would
not have a new ground running along side old 2 wire romex. Obviously,
if it was like that I can see your point.

The crawlspace is only being used so we don't have to tear up the
walls and rewire the whole house.

--
John