Inspected 4 plex today, newly remodeled.
Service is single phase, but 4 individual meters, 100 amp service at each panel.
There is a single 6 gauge GEC coming from the service gutter down to the ground rod, that is bonded to additional grounding conductors in the gutter, and then these run from there down through each meter, into each individual service panel.
So the GEC is bonded to the service neutral at each meter, but then it continues from the meters to each service panel.
Doesn’t this create parallel paths at each panel?
Should they have a GEC coming from each meter to the ground instead? Or would this be ok if they just removed the additional grounding conductor from the meters to each panel?
This may have been done either done without a permit, or it hasn’t been closed out yet, because there are no meter tags.
My question isn’t in regard to the ground rod, it’s specifically about the extra grounding conductor that continues through the meters, into each service panel.
So each service panel has 4 wire feeders. (Parallel path for return current) Typically, that would be wrong, but I didn’t know if this situation is different in that it is a 4-plex, and all these conductors bond to each other at the gutter, before continuing to the ground rod.
Still doesn’t seem right to me, but wanted to check
This is kinda tricky, I think just because of the way the GECs (green conductors) are routed/installed. I don’t believe you have a parallel path situation because the GECs’ do not appear to be bonded to the neutral upstream of the panels. In other words, neutral current is not going to want to travel on the green GECs. It will travel on the neutral feeder. If you routed all of the GECs separate from the feeders, it might make more sense visually (but function the same).
Well, they are bonded at the meters, and then 4 wires are run to each panel. But then, it essentially goes back up to the gutter, before bonding to the GEC.
Seems like it would have been better to run separate GEC’s from each meter directly to the rod.
Good point. I found the below thread you created in 2023. This almost seems like the same situation? Assuming the GEC’s are actually bonded to the neutral at the meter.
haha thanks. It’s funny these two homes are about the same age, and even same paint color.
The only reason I posted this one is because of the odd setup with the gutter, and the multiple meters. But it definitely seems wrong, so I will put in the report for further evaluation.
This work was all done almost a year ago, and I see permits were pulled (complete reno), but it doesnt look like any of them were closed out. (hence the meter tags)
As Robert stated in the other post, the section of GEC from the meter to the panel should be removed. I was making the assumption that the GEC just passed through the meter enclosure. But if it is bonded to the neutral at the meter, then it appears to be incorrect.
Its also odd, though, that it bonds at the meter, and then goes back up to the gutter, where they all bond to the GEC. Seems like they could have also just bonded the GEC to the multiple bus bar that all the neutrals are connected to before splitting off.
Should the green conductors between the meters and panels also be removed then, with your above described arrangement Robert?
Also, if left as-is, if the green conductors between the meters and panels were removed, would that not be considered ok? Or, what is the issue with that set up (other than the way you described seems to be much simpler)?
Sorry yes I should have mentioned that. Ahead of the service disconnect the neutral is bonded to all of the metal parts to provide the low impedance fault current path. The green conductors between the meter and the panel are parallel with the neutral and therefore they should also be removed. If the neutral were properly bonded to the wireway the green conductors between the wireway and the meter would also be parallel with the neutral.
To fix this all of the green conductors should be removed between the wireway>meter>panel. The neutral in the wireway must be bonded to the wireway and the bare GEC should be connected to the neutral in the wireway.
That would depend on the type of grounding electrode. Since it’s a #6 it’s likely that it is just a pair of ground rods. Ground rod electrodes only require a maximum GEC size of #6 AWG.
Yes it would have been easier. They also need to bond the neutral to the wireway. Just a terminology note, I know that we use gutter, trough, and wireway interchangeably but gutter is actually short for Auxiliary Gutter which has it’s own NEC Article 366 and is technically different from a trough or wireway. The NEC uses the term wireway. In conversation most will understand any of the three words.
