# NEC 250.53(C) and Rebar in the 2020 NEC



## jar546 (Aug 6, 2019)

Added to this section under "bonding jumper" is:

_Rebar shall not be used as a conductor to interconnect the electrodes of grounding electrode systems.
_
What do you think that means and how can you see this happening?


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## Msradell (Aug 6, 2019)

I'm really not up-to-date and electrical side of things but is this saying that ufer ground system can no longer be used?


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## jar546 (Aug 7, 2019)

Msradell said:


> I'm really not up-to-date and electrical side of things but is this saying that ufer ground system can no longer be used?



That is not what this is saying whatsoever and a UFER is actually slang and that term is not even in the code book.  Basically you can't use the rebar as a conductor to tie into the rest of the grounding electrode system but a concrete encased electrode, which rebar is, if there is 20' or more of rebar (pieces tied together count) then it has to be bonded.


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## steveray (Aug 7, 2019)

It means you can't "jump" off of the rebar to hit the building steel and then the water and other piping in a bunch of different places.....Which is stupid if we consider it all bonded where it is tied together....But then we don't have to bond isolated piers....


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## jar546 (Aug 7, 2019)

steveray said:


> It means you can't "jump" off of the rebar to hit the building steel and then the water and other piping in a bunch of different places.....Which is stupid if we consider it all bonded where it is tied together....But then we don't have to bond isolated piers....



yes, and isolated piers are already in direct contact with the earth.


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## e hilton (Aug 7, 2019)

jar546 said:


> and a UFER is actually slang .



Is Ampere or Coloumb or Curie then a slang word?


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## jar546 (Aug 7, 2019)

e hilton said:


> Is Ampere or Coloumb or Curie then a slang word?



UFER is slang concerning the NEC as that word is not in the code nor defined by the NEC.  The others are obvious in my opinion.


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## e hilton (Aug 7, 2019)

I’m only saying this because i know you have a great desire to always be correct ... Ufer is not slang, it’s the name of the inventor, who developed that grounding system for the US government.  
And isn’t that type of grounding device covered by 250.52(a)(3)?


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## mark handler (Aug 7, 2019)

The Ufer Ground is an electrical earth grounding method developed during World War II. It uses a concrete-encased electrode to improve grounding in dry areas. The technique is used in construction of concrete foundations.
1942, Herbert G. Ufer was a consultant working for the U.S. Army.
Over the years, the term "Ufer Ground" has become synonymous with the use of any type of concrete enclosed grounding conductor, whether it conforms to Ufer's original grounding scheme or not
It is a grounding electrode encased in the foundation


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