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    pierre52's Avatar
    pierre52 Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Aug 11, 2008, 07:23 AM
    Ground vs neutral bus bars
    I have a breaker panel (not a main panel with disconnect) which has two bus bars on each side, mounted on plastic insulating brackets, and which are connected together via a metal strap.
    The original electrician had connected the ground wires to one, the neutral wires to the other withouth removing the metal strap

    The inspector said no no.
    I had a second electrician come and remove the metal strap, hereby separating the two bus bars.
    Inspector came back, cussed and said no no. He wanted a new bus bar installed in the panel, and all the ground wires reconnected to that new bus bar.

    Is he full of it?
    Thanks
    Pierre
    Credendovidis's Avatar
    Credendovidis Posts: 1,593, Reputation: 66
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    #2

    Aug 11, 2008, 07:43 AM
    Hello Pierre

    The neutral and the ground are different electrical levels and should not be hoked together.
    That it is often done is because these levels are often near to each other.
    The ground wire should ALWAYS be zero.
    The neutral wire voltage and phase depends on the load on the 2 or 3 phase transformer and may change quite dramatically over the day.

    So the inspector has a good point. There should be clear different connection rails used for both neutral and ground.

    :)

    ·
    KISS's Avatar
    KISS Posts: 12,510, Reputation: 839
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    #3

    Aug 11, 2008, 09:15 AM
    He's not full of it.

    Somewhere in your electrical system, the ground and neutral are connected together. This could be at he meter or main panel, but it's usually at the first disconnect.

    Any panel beyond that point is treated as a sub-panel (which I think this is) and needs a separate ground and isolated neutral bar. Unfortunately, to the unsuspecting, the "ground bar kit" is an optional accessory. It must be firmly attached to the panel, I believe, with machine screws.

    The two neutral bars are there for convienience.

    Usually there is a green screw that needs to be removed to isolate the neutral bar(s), then a ground bar kit is installed for sub-panels.

    The electrician should know better.

    Where is your ground/neutral/ground rod connection?
    Chevynut321's Avatar
    Chevynut321 Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #4

    Jul 19, 2012, 04:02 PM
    What is the nutral bar connected to
    stanfortyman's Avatar
    stanfortyman Posts: 5,598, Reputation: 279
    Electrical & Lighting Expert
     
    #5

    Jul 19, 2012, 04:18 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Chevynut321 View Post
    What is the nutral bar connected to
    Are you asking pierre52 from a post he made four years ago?
    Or are you asking a question to the board?

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