The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires that grounding to a water pipe must be done using a minimum of 10 feet of metal water pipe in direct contact with the earth. The connection must be made within 5 feet of where the pipe enters the building, and the pipe must be electrically continuous and bonded to the grounding electrode system.
To ensure proper grounding to a water pipe in your home, you can hire a licensed electrician to install a grounding rod and connect it to the water pipe using a grounding clamp. This will help prevent electrical shocks and ensure safety in your home.
It is certainly possible, but it isn't going to meet building code requirements.
Assuming your reference to "earthing" is grounding (Grounding Electrode Conductor), a pipe is, as it sounds, a pipe (i.e. water pipe). A plate would be, as it sounds, a square (or rectangular) copper plate which would be buried in the ground.
By grounding them in the earth. In a home, grounding is typically done by tying onto a large metal (usually copper) water pipe.
You may connect it to any water supply pipe.
It must be grounded outside with two 8' copper ground rids driven fully into the ground. One under the meter and one 6' to either side connected together with the proper size copper ground wire. The above answer leaves out the requirement for a grounding connection to a metal water pipe. The NEC actually makes the ground rods supplemental to the water pipe. We don't usually consider the water pipe as the primary grounding electrode but that is how it is treated in the code. Depending on the size of your service, the grounding electrode conductor to the water pipe may actually be a different size than what connects to the ground rods, which are allowed to be connected with 6 AWG copper regardless of the size of service.
The electrical code states that if the grounding electrode is to be a metallic water pipe it is to be attached to the street side of the water meter or if not possible as near as practicable to the point of entrance of the water service in the building. You will need to purchase a pipe grounding clamp to make the connection. To stop stray circulating currents from happening all metallic systems should be bonded to each other and to ground.DON'T!You shouldn't connect electrical service ground wires to pipes; it causes electrolysis of the pipe and slowly dissolves some of the metal.Ground wires should be connected to a ground rod that is driven into... the ground.
According to the NEC, if the ground rod supplements another grounding electrode such as a metal water pipe, you are required 1. If the ground rod or rods is your only grounding electrode, you are required at least 2, at least 6 feet apart. Check with your local jurisdiction for local requirements.
It is true that a cold water pipe will work as a ground but it should not be trusted. If the wiring in a house is older then the introduction of electrical grounding I would have to recommend the instillation of new grounded wiring. Grounding using the plumbing system, past where the cold water pipe enters the house, can present a hazard to plumbers. They can receive electrical shock if they remove a piece of pipe that was part of the groundings pathway. Also, as plumbing codes change they do not take into account electrical need. In many areas of the united states plumbers are using non-metallic piping and fitting. If this is added to your system you will lose your grounding.
To add ground to an outlet, you can install a ground wire that connects to the grounding terminal on the outlet. This wire should be connected to a grounding source, such as a metal water pipe or a grounding rod. It is important to follow electrical safety guidelines and consult a professional if you are unsure about the process.
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DON'T CONNECT A GROUND WIRE TO A COLD WATER PIPE!!! Use ground rods in accordance with local codes. When in doubt, contact a local electrician or the local building and zoning office of your city or county. Connecting a ground wire to your cold water pipe can result in electrolysis that will eat away at you water pipe. ---------------- Metal underground water pipe is the first grounding electrode listed in the NEC. It is still commonly used in residential installations and is used in commercial installations when available. When the water pipe is used as the primary grounding electrode, it must be supplemented with another electrode which is most commonly a ground rod. Generally speaking, a 325 amp service requires 350 kcmil copper conductors for residences or 400 kcmil copper conductors for commercial installations. In either case these require a grounding electrode conductor of 1/0 ("one ought") copper.