Hello all. I am a greenhorn and have just finished my 7th mock inspection. Need some grounding help. 1930s bungalow last tag on the panel is 1990. 50% of the outlets in the house are ungrounded the rest are. Last month someone stole all of the copper plumbing including the refrigerant lines. There was a ground clamp hanging from a stranded neutral wire that I’m guessing was the panel’s ground. Tell me I’m wrong or at least tell me the panel appears to be ungrounded…
That stranded conductor in the flexible raceway is a grounding electrode conductor (GEC) not a neutral (could also be a bonding jumper). Is there a main bonding jumper in the neutral bar connecting to the panel enclosure, I can’t tell form the photo. Was the GEC connected at the point where the original metal water piping enters the building? otherwise it may have just been a bond for the metal water piping.
Ah…that hadn’t occurred to me Robert. It probably is a bonding jumper, and yes the copper was running very close. There is no bonding jumper coming off of the neutral bar.
If you look at the label within the panel there is a place on the neutral bar for a bonding screw. Cannot tell from the photo if it’s actually there.
You’re right, it’s there. The neutral bar is bonded to the cabinet. So the GEC to the non existent water piping could have been an appropriate ground path from the main panel? Bonding and grounding are somewhat confusing to me at this stage. Thanks for the help
Yes, yes it does…thanks Roy! I guess my report should state that there was no grounding present for the panel.
Just for reference “no grounding” is very vague and sounds as if the system is completely ungrounded which is it not.
