panel in seprate building

Status
Not open for further replies.

j rae

Senior Member
There is a building that already is being feed from another building. There a ground rod at the seprate building and the existing panel is grounded with a #6. Can the second panel bug onto the the existing ground wire? If so what size wire it is a 200 amp panel.
 

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
There is a building that already is being feed from another building. There a ground rod at the seprate building and the existing panel is grounded with a #6. Can the second panel bug onto the the existing ground wire? If so what size wire it is a 200 amp panel.
Cannot answer your question without knowing what supplies the second panel...???

Regardless of knowing, an initial eveluation would be no, you cannot simply bug on to the ground wire. 1) If this new panel is fed from the existing, you would simply run an EGC from supply panel to load panel. 2) I f this is a service, you have to establish a GES, and a single ground rod will not "cut the mustard". 3) The preceding are the only two general options. You get into special purposes if not service supplied or extended one-feeder supply from another building.
 

charlie b

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Retired Electrical Engineer
The question is definitely unclear. Are you asking about grounding electrode conductors (i.e., connections to ground rods)? Are you asking whether two buildings can share the same ground rods?
 

j rae

Senior Member
No i'm asking can two sub panles that are feed from a separaet building share the same ground rod.
 

charlie b

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Retired Electrical Engineer
More to the point, a panel never needs a ground rod. It is the building that needs a grounding electrode system.
 

david luchini

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Connecticut
Occupation
Engineer
No i'm asking can two sub panles that are feed from a separaet building share the same ground rod.

I'm still confused. Is this a sub panel fed from the panel in the second building?

Or is this another new panel in the second building being fed with a new feeder from the first building?
 

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
No i'm asking can two sub panles that are feed from a separaet building share the same ground rod.
Actually I missed one possibility... both panels are fed by the same feeder.

In this case, you still have to have a GES to current code at the separate building. One ground rod is only okay if it is less than 25 ohm to earth. Unless you actually test this to be true, you will need at least one other electrode besides the ground rod. There are required-if-present electrodes which will satisfy the GES requirements. Otherwise, you will have to install another... typically a second ground rod.

Your requirements start at 250.32. The GES requirements at the separate building are the same as for a service with the exception there is no bonding jumper between the GES and the grounded conductor.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top