Mississippi Administrative Code
Title 11 - Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
Part 5 - Underground Storage Tank Regulations
Chapter 2 - Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality Underground Storage Tanks Regulations Technical Standards and Corrective Action Requirements for Owners and Operators of Underground Storage Tanks (UST) (Adopted March 22, 1989; Amended August 25, 2011, Last Amended August 23, 2018)
Appendix 11-5-2-280.1 - GUIDELINES FOR THE EVALUATION OF UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK CATHODIC PROTECTION SYSTEMS
Appendix 11-5-2-280.1-E
Universal Citation: MS Code of Rules 11-5-2-280.1-E
Current through September 24, 2024
| CONTINUITY TESTING PROCEDURE FOR GALVANIC/IMPRESSED CURRENT CATHODIC PROTECTION SYSTEMS |
| Fixed Cell Moving Ground Continuity Test Procedure |
| 1. Place reference electrode in contact with the soil at a location remote (25 100 feet) from all cathodically protected structures. You must ensure that the remote reference electrode placement is not in proximity to any other cathodic protection systems (e.g. natural gas pipelines) or directly over any buried metallic structure in order to minimize the chances of unwanted interference. |
| 2. Be sure that reference electrode is firmly placed in moist soil and is not in contact with any vegetation. |
| 3. Connect reference electrode to the negative terminal of voltmeter using a long spool of suitable wire. |
| 4. Connect positive lead wire to voltmeter. This lead wire should have a sharp test prod (scratch awl or similar) in order to assure good contact with the metallic structures under test. |
| 5. Place voltmeter on 2 volt DC scale. |
| 6. Contact each buried metallic structure with the positive test lead without moving the reference electrode. Typical items that would be tested during a continuity survey include: all tanks, tank risers, submersible pump heads, piping, flex connectors/swing joints, vent lines, electrical conduits, dispensers, utilities, etc. |
| 7. Obtain voltage for each component and record on MDEQ continuity testing form. |
| 8. Voltages for each component that is tested must be obtained as quickly as possible since the observed potential can change over time. This is because the conditions in the soil where the reference electrode is placed can change over a relatively short period of time. |
| Fixed Cell Moving Ground Data Interpretation |
| * If two or more structures exhibit potentials that vary by 2 mV or less, the structures are considered to be electrically continuous. |
| * If two or more structures exhibit potentials that vary by 10 mV or greater, the structures are considered to be electrically isolated. |
| * If two or more structures exhibit potentials that vary by more than 2 mV but less than 10 mV, the result is inconclusive and further testing (point-to-point) is necessary. |
| Point-to-Point Continuity Test Procedure |
| 1. Turn off power to rectifier if testing an impressed current system. This is necessary to obtain accurate results. |
| 2. Connect test leads to voltmeter. Both test leads should have a sharp test prod or suitable clip lead in order to make good contact with tested structures. |
| 3. Place voltmeter on 2 volt (or lower) DC scale. |
| 4. Connect one voltmeter test lead to one of the structures for which continuity is being tested and connect the other voltmeter test lead to the other structure that is being tested. |
| 5. Record voltages observed on each of the two structures that are being compared and record on MDEQ continuity testing form. |
| Note: Testing with this method does not require a reference electrode. The two structures of interest are simply connected in parallel with the voltmeter and a determination made as to whether or not any potential difference exists between them. |
| Point-to-Point Data Interpretation |
| * If the voltage difference observed between the two structures is 1 mV or less, this indicates that the two structures are considered to be electrically continuous with each other. |
| * If the voltage difference observed between the two structures is 10 mV or greater, this indicates that the two structures are considered to be electrically isolated from each other. |
| * If the voltage difference observed between the two structures is greater than 1 mV but less than 10 mV, the result is inconclusive and further testing beyond the scope of this document is necessary. |
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Mississippi may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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