Bonding the sub panel

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1

Originally Posted By: dnewby
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http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/usrimages/I/IM000132.JPG ]

2

Originally Posted By: Greg Fretwell
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If there is an outside service disconnect you should have 4 wires coming into the building and you do not reground the neutral there.

3

Originally Posted By: dhadler
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This is more like another question than an answer, but in that picture it appears that all the ground wires are attached to the bar on the left… which is attached by a metal bar across the bottom to the neutral side on the right? That doesn’t seem right, shouldn’t it have a separate ground wire coming into the panel and attached to the panel, along with all the ground wires?


The way it looks to me the two are mixed because of the metal bar across the bottom ![icon_question.gif](upload://t2zemjDOQRADd4xSC3xOot86t0m.gif)

--
Darrell Hadler
Five Star Home Inspections
Medicine Hat, Alberta CANADA

4

Originally Posted By: rmoore
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As Greg said…if this is not the service equipment, then the set-up in the photo is wrong.


Neutral current from a "sub-panel" should only return to the service equipment along the insulated neutral (or grounded) feeder. With that connecting bar in place the current will also return along the grounding conductor (could be the fourth wire or the continous metal conduit).

There looks to be a large grounding conductor attached to the bar on the left and that bar is bonded (green screw) to the panel. All we need now is to remove the connecting bar at the bottom and, voila, the neutrals "float". Fix the double-tapped neutrals at the right and it looks good to go.

Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be enough holes on the right neutral bar for one conductor each. In that case, the simplest solution might be to leave the connecting bar in place, remove the bonding screw and EGC, and move all the grounds to a newly installed grounding bar.

--
Richard Moore
Rest Assured Inspection Services
Seattle, WA
www.rainspect.com

5

Originally Posted By: jmyers
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Donna,


That is absolutely correct, the bar which is bonding those two terminal bars together should be removed.

You got it, just don't be scared to use it! ![icon_cool.gif](upload://oPnLkqdJc33Dyf2uA3TQwRkfhwd.gif)

--
Joe Myers
A & N Inspections, Inc.
http://anii.biz

6

Originally Posted By: jschwartz1
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http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/usrimages/b/bonding_question.jpg ]


The inside of the panel cover usually has a diagram and shows where a bond is suppossed to be. As a best practice, I always take a picture of the diagram and wiring configuration. I will only include the pics in the report if there is an issue with the panel.

Serves the purpose of having proof of what the panel looked like at the time of inspection if there is ever a question of a wiring issue down the road when a sparky gets creative.

--
Jay Schwartz
Coast To Coast Home Services, Inc
www.Coasttocoasthomeservices.com
Southeast Florida NACHI Chapter - VP www.floridanachi.org
NACHI - Legislative Committee Member
MAB - Member

7

Originally Posted By: dspencer
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Ditto with Richard.


The neutral and the ground can only be bonded in one location in a residential service, and that is in the main panel.

8

Originally Posted By: Joey D’Adamo
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Stuff like this is tricky because people have to be really really really really careful if they choose to remove that because A) if there is a load it might be transfered through you… or B) if the neutral path is somehow broken and was finding its way back through ground, the lack of a neutral now will cause 240v to be split across both 120v sides and could cause damage.


Best to get a sparky involved and they can do the necessary test to make sure none of that can happen.

9

Originally Posted By: jmyers
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Joey,


I don't believe anyone suggested that an unqualified person should remove it, just that it should be removed.

The question that Donna asked was should it be there, not who should remove it.

--
Joe Myers
A & N Inspections, Inc.
http://anii.biz