There shall be only one grounding electrode system, and all metallic items shall be bonded to it. True or False?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not specified
• D. Depends on site

Answer: (A)

A single grounding electrode system with all metallic items bonded to it creates a common electrical reference and a low-impedance path for fault currents. When every metal part—tower bases, enclosures, racks, mounts, structural steel, and the grounding electrodes themselves—shares this same system, any fault current or lightning surge can flow safely to earth, quickly triggering overcurrent protection and keeping all parts at the same potential. If there were multiple independent grounding systems, different parts could assume different potentials, creating shock hazards and potential equipment damage. In practice, there may be several grounding electrodes installed, but they must be bonded together to form one unified grounding electrode system, with every metallic item bonded to that system.