[sparkyforlife94]

I was recently tasked with feeding an existing parking lot light pole with new conduit and conductors due to a collapsed conduit. The problem is that the other light pole where we want to steal power from has no Equipment Grounding Conductor . Due to the lack of EGC I feel uncomfortable connecting the new conductors. I place life and safety before production... The boss says that nothing will happen , but I’m still very uncomfortable , especially with a 277V load . I am just afraid of the metal pole becoming energized and a person/kid innocently touching it , possibly dying .

There is an EGC from a near by gate , but the issue is that it is derived from a 120/208Y power system , therefore, it does not terminate in the same panel as the above mentioned 277V parking lot lighting circuit. Deep down I feel like tapping into this nearby EGC would be a code violation . Can someone please let me know what section of Article 250 prohibits me from doing this .

quick sketch graphic is attached…

Thanks.

 

[backstay]

Aren’t the 120/208 and the 277 sharing the same grounding electrode?

 

[just the cowboy]

If it is drawn like you show and they do share the same ground, it would be size next that would be your next issue. If lighting is 30 amp and fence is 20 ground is not big enough

 

[paulengr]

Do not use multiple grounds. Aside from the Code violation you can inadvertently cause non faulted boxes in between to become energized. One ground is Code.

The other system depends on if it’s a separately derived system or not. If it’s separately derived then you can’t share grounds. If it’s not then you are just extending bonding. Code does not require equal length because we aren’t trying to balance phases and there is no combining neutrals.

If old conduit is partly failed you could reuse what is left as EGC.

EGC is equipment grounding conductor