Compliance with NFPA 70: NEC provides suitable grounding for the Avaya equipment.

In buildings without a ground-cabling infrastructure complying with TIA-607, the Avaya equipment must be grounded by connection to the nearest accessible location on approved building grounds. The following are approved grounds in keeping with the NFPA 70: National Electrical Code of the United States (NEC). For additional information regarding these grounds, view NEC, Article 250.52.

AC service panel

AC ground at the AC service panel serving the Avaya equipment.

Metal water pipe

The water pipe must meet all the following requirements:

• The entire length of the pipe must be visible, except for short sections passing through walls, ceilings, etc.

• The pipe must be metallic through its length, or made electrically continuous by bonding around insulation joints or insulating pipe.

• The pipe must be routed underground for at least 10 ft (3 m).

Where a metal water pipe is used as an approved ground, the following requirements apply to the host building:

• The building must be industrial, commercial, or institutional, where only qualified persons service the water piping.

• The building does not rely only on the metal water pipe for grounding: a supplemental ground is required. For more information, see NEC Article 250.53.

Metal frame of the building

The qualified personnel must connect the metal frame member (I-beam, pillar) to earth by one of the following methods:

• In direct contact with the earth, or encased in concrete that is in direct contact with the earth, for at least 10 ft (3 m).

• To the reinforcing bars of a concrete-encased electrode. The electrode must be encased by at least 2 in. (5.1 cm) of concrete and located within and near the bottom of a concrete foundation or footing in direct contact with the earth. The electrode must be at least 20 ft (6.1 m) of one or more steel reinforcing bars or rods, 0.5 in. (1.3 cm) in diameter, or at least 20 ft (6.1 m) of bare solid copper, 4 AWG (26 mm²) wire.

• To a ground ring. A ground ring is a buried ground that encircles a building, having a length of at least 20 ft (6.1 m) of 2 AWG (35 mm²) bare copper wire.

• To rod and pipe electrodes. A rod or pipe electrode consists of one 5/8 in. (1.6 cm) solid rod or 3/5 in. (2 cm) conduit driven to a minimum depth of 8 ft (2.4 m).

• To plate electrodes. Plate electrodes have a minimum of 2 ft² (0.185 m²) of metallic surface exposed to the exterior soil.

Approved floor grounds

Floor grounds are those grounds on each floor of a high-rise building that are suitable for connection to the ground terminal in the riser closet and to the equipment single-point ground terminal. Approved floor grounds can include the following:

• Metal frame of the building.

• The grounding conductor for the secondary side of the power transformer feeding the floor.

• A grounding point specifically provided in the building for that purpose.