I have this panel where a ground wire 4 AWG or 6 AWG was used and connected to the neutral bus bar. I assume this line was used as a neutral and not identified or Bonding. My knowledge is not the best when it comes to electrical. any thoughts on this? I’m going to place it in my report as a defect and recommend further evaluation by a certified electrician.
If that panel is the first point of disconnect, it is fine to have the ground wire connected to that bus bar. What I’m not sure on is if the cable can technically be split like that. I see it fairly often and it should work fine. Just not sure if it technically allowed. One of the electricians in the group will likely chime in on that hopefully.
It looks like it might be a GEC which is permitted on the neutral bus in a service. The termination of splitting the conductor under two screws is improper.
I see that quite a bit Robert. Is it a condition worth calling out? It seems like it would function fine, but what are the real world ramifications? Just wondering if I should add it to my narratives.
Ditto. My understanding is that a “cable” works as an assembly and should not be split like in the pic.
I also read somewhere recently that a Green Insulated conductor cannot be re-identified for use as a (White or Gray) Neutral.
I just searched, and cannot find anywhere I may have seen it.
Anyone know of this ‘Rule’?
Do you have a picture of the entire inside of the panel?
In the category of fwiw, I call out stranded conductors that have been split into two lugs on the bar as a minor crime and recommend correction (as opposed to saying it should or must be corrected.) If there are other things wrong with the panel, I’ll elevate it as something to clean-up with the other corrections.
Looks like the GEC is directly behind this one.
It could also be a bonding conductor for a gas or water line
The NEC rule is based on conductor size. Conductors smaller than 4 need to be in the proper colors. There is an exception that allows cable assemblies to have the white reidentified as a hot conductor. I believe this is a Canadian panel.
Someone called that a cable. A cable is an assembly of conductors with an overall sheath. The green wire shown is a conductor, not a cable.
That must be what I had seen. Some reference to this rule.
Thanks for the info.
Yup, I called that a cable. My bad.
I am in agreement with the likelihood of the strand cable being the GEC, but the strand conductors could have been trimmed back at the bus bar instead of protruding the bar bar and almost contacting the bus bar to the right. Now adding additional circuit cable neutrals to the bus bar to the right will take so doing.
As well, there are 3 strand conductors terminating in one slot under one screw. Triple tapped.
Just my 2 cents.