Electrical Grounding and Bonding Per the National Electrical Code

Industry and NEC Definitions

• Defining the terms related to grounding and bonding
• Understanding the difference between “grounding” and “bonding” 
• Differentiating between a short-circuit and a ground-fault 
• What is a system grounded conductor and a grounding electrode conductor? 
• What is an equipment grounding conductor? 
• What is a grounded conductor? 
• When is a neutral conductor a grounded conductor?

Low-Impedance Fault Return Path

• Definition of effective ground-fault current path 
• Requirements for effective ground-fault current path 
• Purpose and function of effective ground-fault current path 
• Earth return prohibited installations 
• Installing parallel sets of conductors

System Grounding Requirements

• Reducing objectionable current flow over grounding conductors 
• Systems that are required to be grounded and those that are permitted to be grounded 
• Choosing a grounded or ungrounded system 
• High-and low-resistance grounding applications 
• Grounding the neutral of a wye-connected system 
• Grounding the mid-point of a delta system 
• Corner-grounded delta systems 
• Purpose of the grounding electrode system on an ungrounded system

Purpose of the Grounded Conductor on a Grounded System

• Providing a low-impedance path for fault-clearing capability 
• The function of the main bonding jumper and system bonding jumper 
• Sizing the neutral for services with a single and parallel set of supply conductors 
• Maintaining neutral isolation on load side of service or source of separately derived system

The Grounding Electrode System

• What grounding electrodes are required to be used if present? 
• Types of grounding electrodes, including the Ufer ground
• How to determine if grounding electrodes qualify for use 
• Bonding requirements for the grounding electrode system 
• Using busbars for connecting grounding electrode system components 
• Optional grounding electrode system connections 
• Understanding the purpose of the grounding electrode 
• Bonding requirements for all grounding electrodes, including those installed for lightning protection systems, communication systems, and data processing systems

Separately Derived Systems

• What is a separately derived system?
• How is this type of system grounded?
• Sizing neutral, bonding, and grounding electrode conductors
• When is an on-site generator a separately derived system?
• How are automatic transfer switches appropriately applied?
• Requirements if the source is outdoors

Grounding and Bonding at Separate Buildings

• When a grounding electrode is not required 
• Choosing grounding and bonding scheme at separate buildings
• When the neutral is permitted to be grounded at separate buildings
• Sizing grounding electrode conductors at separate buildings
• Buildings or structures supplied by a separately derived system

Equipment Grounding Conductors

• When equipment is required to be grounded 
• Metal raceways as equipment grounding conductors
• How to calculate the maximum length of metal conduits when used as equipment grounding conductors
• Supplementing metal raceways with equipment grounding conductors
• Sizing equipment grounding conductors for motor circuits and for parallel conduit runs
• Sizing equipment grounding conductors for available short-circuit current
• Color code requirements
• Branch circuit extensions and GFCI protection of replacement receptacles

Ground Fault Protection

• Types of ground fault protection
• Capacitive charging current effects 
• Coordinating GFP settings with downstream protection

Grounding and Bonding Conductor Connections

• Types of connections: welded, brazed, and pressure type 
• Selecting connectors for the application

Bonding Requirements

• Bonding requirements for service equipment 
• Intersystem bonding requirements
• Bonding of metal piping systems
• Bonding of metal frames of buildings 
• Bonding requirements for areas supplied by separately derived systems 
• Bonding requirements for receptacles and boxes

Use of the Neutral for Bonding

• When it is permitted to use the neutral for bonding and when it is not 
• Use of the neutral for line-side bonding
• Use of the neutral for equipment grounding

Isolated Equipment Grounding

• Isolated grounding of equipment 
• Isolated grounding of receptacles

Special Occupancy Grounding and Bonding

• Grounding and bonding for hazardous locations 
• Requirements for patient care areas of health care facilities 
• Grounding and bonding for agricultural buildings 
• Requirements for mobile and manufactured homes

This course has been approved by the State of WI Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) for 14 hours for: Registered Electrician, Commercial Electrical Inspector, Industrial Journeyman Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Residential Journeyman Electrician, and UDC - Electrical Inspector license holders.

As part of the course fee, attendees will be provided a copy of the textbook "Electrical Grounding and Bonding" (published by Cengage) by Phil Simmons.

Registration Date/Time:
6/24/2025 7:30am Central Time

Event Dates/Times:

• 6/24/2025  8:00am - 5:00pm Central Time
• 6/25/2025  8:00am - 5:00pm Central Time
• 6/26/2025  8:00am - 12:00pm Central Time

• Program Director

  Kevin Rogers

• Noel Williams

  Noel runs Noel Williams Consulting (more than 20 years) and serves as an instructor and developer of electrical training programs covering electrical safety, including the National Electrical Code and related standards. He has provided training services for Salt Lake Community College, NFPA, NTT, IAEI, and private clients that included Los Alamos National Labs, Alcan Cable, Thiokol, Honeywell, Salt Lake City Airport, and the University of Utah Hospital. He has taught thousands of students throughout most of the United States as well as a few other countries for over 25 years. He has also worked as a subject matter expert for development of online training programs and as an expert witness.

This is a HyFlex (in-person and online) taught course. Your registration is for ONE teaching platform only: in-person or online. Please be prepared to attend all days either in-person or online. Contact us if you have any questions or if you need to make a change. 

This course uses the Canvas course management and Zoom platforms. A UW NetID is required to access Canvas and supplemental course materials and resources. Your registration confirmation email will walk you through the NetID process and how to access the Canvas course website.  

For in-person students: physical course materials will be available on the first day of class.

For online students: course materials are shipped to you. Please look for an email two weeks before the course regarding the address you would like your course materials shipped to. The email will include a link to an online address verification form.

Online Enrollment Deadline: June 16, 2025

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

• Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
• Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
• You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Enroll over the phone and pay by credit card.

• Call CERC Registrations at 608-262-2451.
• Provide the registrations representative with:
  • the course name, dates, and/or course number.
  • the necessary course attendee information and payment information.
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

• Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
• Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
• Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

• Request Purchase Order information from interpro@union.wisc.edu
  • If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
• You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email interpro@union.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

If you cannot attend, please notify us no later than one week before your course begins, and we will refund your fee. Cancellations received after this date and no-shows are subject to a $150 administrative fee. You may enroll a substitute at any time before the course starts.