Neutral & Gound Bar

[jetli98]

Why do you hve to split the neutral and ground and the subpanel and not at the mail panel? Would there be a problem if you joined all the neu. and gro. wires on the same bar.

 

[hbiss]

Re: Neutral & Gound Bar

Would there be a problem? In a sub panel yes. It is also not permitted by code to bond the neutral and equipment ground together in a sub panel.

-Hal

 

[russ]

Re: Neutral & Gound Bar

If you have the grounded conductor (neutral) and the grounding conductor bonded together at the main panel, that is the right way to go.

If you tie the Grounded conductor to the equipment ground at the sub panel, then the equipment ground becomes a parallel neutral.

Now you have current on the ground wire or grounded conduit,

[ February 29, 2004, 10:03 PM: Message edited by: russ ]

 

[jetli98]

Re: Neutral & Gound Bar

But what would happen? What problems would arise?

 

[russ]

Re: Neutral & Gound Bar

For one thing it is a code violation (250.6)

It could also be dangerous, in the fact that the ground wire or conduit is conducting electricity.

A simple thing like a loose locknut or coupling on a conduit system could become a hot spot in a wall, under the circumstance of a bad neutral connection.
the worst the neutral connection the more current on the ground.

 

[jetli98]

Re: Neutral & Gound Bar

Thanks Russ

 

[bennie]

Re: Neutral & Gound Bar

Russ: Would you classify the current on the grounding conductor as objectionable?

 

[dereckbc]

Re: Neutral & Gound Bar

Originally posted by jetli98:
But what would happen? What problems would arise?

Voltage on exposed metallic objects (touch potential), EMF, heating of raceways, and common mode noise, and just to name a few.

 

[russ]

Re: Neutral & Gound Bar

Hi bennie:

Yes, especially on conduit systems.

If we are going to allow current on the grounding system we might as well do away with it.

Whether that is the right way to go would have to be decided by some one smarter than me.

With our current systems and codes, keeping them separate in most cases, is the way we have to do it.

[ February 29, 2004, 10:34 PM: Message edited by: russ ]

 

[Ed MacLaren]

Re: Neutral & Gound Bar

Why do you have to split the neutral and ground at the subpanel

jetli98,

This sketch might help illustrate a couple of the reasons for that code requirement, as stated above by some of the guys.

Ed

[ March 01, 2004, 08:31 AM: Message edited by: Ed MacLaren ]

 

[jetli98]

Re: Neutral & Gound Bar

Thanks for all the help, that diagram is a great print I can post in the shop for the helpers.