Where an auxiliary grounding electrode is installed for an electric sign on a pole, it shall be in addition to the required equipment grounding conductor with the branch circuit supplying the sign.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only for metallic poles
• D. Only when installed outdoors

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that electrical grounding for equipment relies on a solid equipment grounding conductor (EGC) that runs with the circuit back to the source. An auxiliary grounding electrode adds a local earth reference, but it does not replace the required EGC. For an electric sign on a pole, if you install an auxiliary grounding electrode, it must be in addition to the EGC from the branch circuit supplying the sign. The electrode should be bonded to the same grounding system as the circuit so that fault current has a reliable path back to the source, while the EGC still provides the primary fault-clearing path. A grounding electrode alone is not dependable for rapidly clearing faults due to its higher and more variable impedance, which is why it must accompany, not replace, the EGC.