Ask Me Help Desk - Panel confusion

Panel confusion

Sorry for long post but here go's

Currently installed panel that I need help with.

The power comes in at the meter and then goes to a fuse type disconnect but there is only two wires on the disconnect. It goes to a shed that has a 200 amp panel on the outside with a disconect breaker in the panel, it has a 100 amp breaker that goes to a panel in the shed and this panel also has a 100 amp disconnect main breaker in it. This shed is detached and has no metal piping. The problem that is confusing me is. The disconnect has only 2 wires coming from the meter to the input side of the disconnect. The two wires are 2/0 copper and go to the panel in the shed. There is a white 2/0 wire that is grounded to the panel box and go's to the panel in the shed. There is another bare ground wire that goes from the disconnect box and is grounded with the white wire to the shed panel. The shed panel has the grounds and neutrals together and so does the panel on the inside of the shed. There is a ground rod at the meter and at the outside panel. My question is shoud the neutrals be isulated from both panels at the shed and be separate from the ground? I am wanting to add a circuit in the shed for a welding machine, the electrician that looked at my setup said it was OK, my neighbor who is a retired electrician said it was wrong and I should isulate the neutrals on both panels in the shed. There is a slab next to this shed that looks as if there was another building there, if that means anything.

Is this wired right?

Is the neutral and ground that is attached to the disconnect right?

Should there be another nuetral at the disconnect from the meter?

Any help would be appreciated

Can you post some pictures?

You lost me! There has to be neutral wire @ the main.

The meter is mounted on the side of a building next to it is a cabinet (maybe a disconnect), then it go's to the disconnect I referred to in my question, I cannot see the wiring in the meter or the cabinet next to it. They are sealed by the electric co. the disconnect I referred to has two wired coming from the cabinet next to the meter. They are both fused. There are no other wires coming from the cabinet to the disconnect. The wires going out of the disconnect go to the shed I referred to. There are two wires coming off the disconnect and go to the shed off the disconnect. There are two other wires, a white wire and a bare wire, these wires are connected directly onto the disconnect box, they each have a eyelet on them and are bolted to the box. Voltage on the disconnect wires to ground each read 120v, voltage measured from one hot wire to the next is 240v.

Does this help.

Thanks

Is this an underground service or an overhead service?

Meter base:
-If it's an underground service, do you have two conduits coming from underground, or one?
-If it's an overhead service, do you have a conduit coming from underground--in addition to the conduit going overhead?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Washington1

Is this an underground service or an overhead service?

Meter base:
-If it's an underground service, do you have two conduits coming from underground, or one?
-If it's an overhead service, do you have a conduit coming from underground--in addition to the conduit going overhead?

It is overhead service. It does not have any conuit coming from underground, can I ask why this would make a difference.

Thanks

Quote:

it is overhead service. It does not have any conuit coming from underground, can I ask why this would make a difference.

I'm trying to grab hold of what you have, and how they ran the conductors. What you are saying doesn't add up.

Ok, go to your panel in the house, and see if they ran conductors from the meter to the house panel--this will require taking the panel cover off. Then see if they ran conductors from the panel to the 240v disconnect (Located next to the meter)--using the Meter as a pull box.

Also make sure to check for conduit going to the shed from the house panel.
Then answer these questions:
1. does the house panel have a main breaker?
2. if you switch the disconnect located next to the meter, what does it turn off?
3. What size fuses do they have in the disconnect located next to the meter?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Washington1

I'm trying to grab hold of what you have, and how they ran the conductors. What you are saying doesn't add up.

Ok, go to your panel in the house, and see if they ran conductors from the meter to the house panel--this will require taking the panel cover off. Then see if they ran conductors from the panel to the 240v disconnect (Located next to the meter)--using the Meter as a pull box.

I really appreciate you taking the time to help me with this

OK, the main overhead lines go into a cabinet. The meter is on the left side of the cabinet and has conduit from it to the cabinet. On the right side of the cabinet conduit goes to two 200 amp disconnects. The fist disconnect goes into the house, it is the same as the other 200 amp disconnect in it is 200 amp fuses. The one going into the house has two fused hots and a non fused nuetral. The 200 amp disconnect going to the shed has 2 two fused hots and only has a neutral and ground wire which are bolted to the box and these two wires are going to the shed. Only two wires are coming from the cabinet and going to the disconnect.

Thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by Washington1

Also make sure to check for conduit going to the shed from the house panel.
Then answer these questions:
1. does the house panel have a main breaker? no
2. if you switch the disconnect located next to the meter, what does it turn off? 1st house, other shed
3. What size fuses do they have in the disconnect located next to the meter?

200 amp

Ok, so you have a 400A service. The cabinet next to the meter is a CT can. So everything I asked is pretty much useless.

Obviously this is a violation. It sounds like they are using the case and metallic conduit (I'm assuming the conduit from the meter to the disconnect is metal) as a grounded conductor (in simple language).

As far as the remote disconnect and panel, I'm going to say it's in violation until you can have your main disconnect on the house grounded.
You will need three conductors from the meter to the disconnect. The metallic nipple (assuming a metallic nipple) cannot serve as a neutral conductor. If I'm correct, then this is a violation of NEC 300.3(b)

It would be best to have some pictures. I've exhausted my visual of this install.

I'm going to stand on my assumption above: Violation