Separate ground for *each* circuit?

[DaveC]

I need to run six 12 ga circuits from the breaker panel to the new
construction (4 bathrooms).

Do I need to run one 12 ga ground conductor for each of these circuits? Or
can I share a single, larger ground conductor between all of them. For
example, can I run a 10 ga (or larger?) ground conductor and branch that to
four 12 ga conductors near the load?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Voltaic]

DaveC <dave-usenet3016@mailblocks.com> wrote in
news:0001HW.BB6D9272000AA21B0A961670@news.individual.net:

I need to run six 12 ga circuits from the breaker panel to the new
construction (4 bathrooms).

Do I need to run one 12 ga ground conductor for each of these
circuits? Or can I share a single, larger ground conductor between all
of them. For example, can I run a 10 ga (or larger?) ground conductor
and branch that to four 12 ga conductors near the load?

Thanks,
Dave

you dont *need* to run grounds for all 4, but, if weighted correctly, your
car doesn't *need* 4 wheels. it is imperative to run them for at least 2
reasons: 1, its a code violation not to (at least in the US). 2: if
anything ever shorts out or something like that, its always nice to know
that things are properly grounded and wont be transferring the load of
power from the short and whatever else is in-line with that one ground.

people generally rub 3 conductor romex type wire (as i think is actually a
code requirement) from the breaker panels for "normal" household watages.
which includes 2 grounds and a hot. anyway, as it is a safety issue, i
would run the grounds.

-Sam

 

[CWatters]

In the UK you would run a single cable containing two cores and an earth
wire in a ring out and back to the board. You get an earth "free" for each
ring/circuit.


"DaveC" <dave-usenet3016@mailblocks.com> wrote in message
news:0001HW.BB6D9272000AA21B0A961670@news.individual.net...

I need to run six 12 ga circuits from the breaker panel to the new
construction (4 bathrooms).

Do I need to run one 12 ga ground conductor for each of these circuits? Or
can I share a single, larger ground conductor between all of them. For
example, can I run a 10 ga (or larger?) ground conductor and branch that
to
four 12 ga conductors near the load?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Fred Abse]

On Mon, 25 Aug 2003 09:04:31 +0100, CWatters wrote:

In the UK you would run a single cable containing two cores and an
earth wire in a ring out and back to the board. You get an earth "free"
for each ring/circuit.

The UK is unusual in having fused plugs as standard. 13A max in each
plug, and 30A at the panel for each ring. They're also allowed to spur
one outlet off each ring outlet. That's why the proposed 16A euro
standard died, the Brits would need fused outlets and didn't want it.


Ring circuits are not used much elsewhere in the world. They're actually
illegal in some places.

--
Then there's duct tape ...
(Garrison Keillor)
nofr@sbhevre.pbzchyvax.pb.hx

 

[Wim Lewis]

In article <0001HW.BB6D9272000AA21B0A961670@news.individual.net>,
DaveC <dave-usenet3016@mailblocks.com> wrote:

I need to run six 12 ga circuits from the breaker panel to the new
construction (4 bathrooms).

Do I need to run one 12 ga ground conductor for each of these circuits? Or
can I share a single, larger ground conductor between all of them. For
example, can I run a 10 ga (or larger?) ground conductor and branch that to
four 12 ga conductors near the load?

If you're trying to reduce the number/size of cables you're running from
the breaker panel to the new construction, another way is to put in a
sub-panel somewhere in the new construction. Then you'd run a single
set of wires (hot + neutral + ground) from your existing box to the new
one, and the new box would contain six circuit breakers, one for each
circuit it's supplying.

There are a bunch of regulations having to do with sub-panels, but if
the new construction is far away from the existing breaker box, it
might be worth jumping through the regulatory hoops to put in a subpanel.

--
Wim Lewis <wiml@hhhh.org>, Seattle, WA, USA. PGP keyID 27F772C1

 

[Jim Hancock]

DaveC wrote:

I need to run six 12 ga circuits from the breaker panel to the new
construction (4 bathrooms).

Do I need to run one 12 ga ground conductor for each of these circuits? Or
can I share a single, larger ground conductor between all of them. For
example, can I run a 10 ga (or larger?) ground conductor and branch that to
four 12 ga conductors near the load?

Thanks,
Dave

If running conduit and building wire then only one ground is requires for the
entire conduit regardless of the number of circuits. Ground must be sized for
the largest circuit in the conduit. 20 amp/12 ga. wire would need one #12
ground.
If you are running any type of cable - NMB, MC, AC - then each would contain
it's own ground.
Bathrooms are now required to have dedicated circuits similar to small
appliance branch circuits in kitchens. Sorry I can't give exact details as my
code book is not available and I don't do residential.

 

On Sat, 23 Aug 2003 21:51:46 -0700, DaveC
<dave-usenet3016@mailblocks.com> wrote:

I need to run six 12 ga circuits from the breaker panel to the new
construction (4 bathrooms).

Do I need to run one 12 ga ground conductor for each of these circuits? Or
can I share a single, larger ground conductor between all of them. For
example, can I run a 10 ga (or larger?) ground conductor and branch that to
four 12 ga conductors near the load?

Thanks,
Dave

We need more details. Your location will change what rules apply. Is
this residentail or commercial. Four baths makes me think commercial
which requires a licenced electricial in most places. Are we talking
romex or conduit?

-Chris