Found the grounding screw in sitting in the bottom of the panel box (am holding it in my hand in pic 1). Pic 2 is where I think it belongs. Any idea why the panel box wouldn’t be grounded? or is there something I’m missing?
The box should be “grounded”, neutrals should not be double lugged, white conductors used as hot conductors should be permanently re-identified (many sparky’s use a black permanent marker for instance). Also it appears that there are conductors near screw locations, damage and/or shock hazard could occur even with approved blunt screws.
Thanks Dave. I did catch the re-identify white wires. I just couldn’t figure out why someone would go out of their way to remove the panel ground screw.
ITF looks like a bond screw is already installed on the right near the top.
The panel label will show the correct location of the bond screw or strap if needed .
Since there is the same screw on the left side I would guess that the screw that’s installed is holding the bus in place and is definitely not the main bonding jumper. The MBJ would go in the hole above it.
Yep, Robert, you’re correct. Those other two are only grounding the buses on each side to the strap but the larger screw (empty hole above) would ground the strap to the box.
Bonding screws and straps etc are shipped loose or out of position. The installer is to apply bonding only when required, depending on if it is service equipment or a remote panel. It appears this installer did not know what the screw was for, at least he didn’t throw it away.
Thank you. I did not see the other screw on the left nor do I use that brand of panel.
I find this condition quite often. This is an easy one. They can be a real pain seeing the label, knowing which screw is the bond, wires in the way of seeing the strap, etc. etc.
Roy, yes this is the first point of disconnect and nope, no wires lugged in the ground bus. There are a couple of grounds laying across it, so the box is picking up some grounding, but that’s about it. I always thought the ground screws came pre-installed in these panels and so someone would have had to actively remove it, but maybe that’s not the case and maybe the installer neglected to install it and just tossed it into the box where I found it.
I see green screws at the top of the left and right EGC / grounding bars. This tells me that those screws go through the plastic insulator and into the box (grounding the box). I’d expect them to be silver if the bar was left isolated. To me, it looks like just an extra screw in your hand, and the installation is correct (well, other than the EGC and Grounding wires jammed under one screw and the white wires coming out of the 240’s without being color-coded as hot).
Is this a bad assumption?
Robert confirmed in post #6 that the bonding screw is not installed.