I'm preparing to provide new wiring to a sizable addition to a log home. Prior to beginning the new work I mapped my existing circuits thinking it best to correct any potential overloads in the existing panel/circuit design before introducing any new problems on my own.

Decided to make a few changes by running 3 new 20 Amp dedicated circuits to service a garbage disposer, a microwave, and a utility room with a washer/dryer (gas) - all are currently on shared circuits. I was surprised when I opened my main service panel and found that neutral and ground wires from existing circuits are interchangeably attached to either the neutral or the ground bus. In many cases both the ground and the neutral from a respective circuit are attached to one or the other of the buses under under the same screw.

I have read that the ground and the neutral bus are generally bonded within the main service panel. Does this mean that there is really no difference between the ground and neutral bus within a main service panel? If I add circuits can I simply connect the hot to the breaker and both the white and bare copper ground to one or both of the neutral/ground bus??

I expected things to be far more orderly.

tkrussell

The neutral and ground are connected together in a main panel ONLY if the Main Breaker is in that panel. There can be a main panel with the Main Breaker elsewhere,such as outdoors, in this case the neutral and ground is noit connected, or "bonded" together in the panel.

The reason is that whereever the Main Service Disconnect is located is where the Neutral is grounded with the ground wire that goes to ground rod(s) or city water.

Now the two wires under one screw may need to be changed so that there is only one wire per screw. Look on the panel dor for a lable that explains if the ports on the neutral/ground bars are rated for one or more wires.