baltimore
Member
- Location
- United States
Hello everyone,
I have a question concerning grounding and bonding which I have researched fairly extensively over the past week and have been unable to come up with a satisfactory solution for. I would appreciate any help or insight anyone may be able to provide, as I am somewhat stumped. Let me describe my installation and perhaps someone will be able to help. Thanks in advance!
I have installed a 125A main panel in a warehouse which will eventually serve about 12 circuits. Nothing major--no machinery, etc., just lights and receptacles. The panel is fed exclusively by a 15.5kW (prime) generator. There is no alternative source of power, and therefore no transfer switch. The generator is an FG Wilson P14-4S. Using my multimeter, I have determined that the manufacturer has not bonded the neutral to the ground at the generator. The wires from the alternator land on a terminal block which has two hots (A & B phases), a neutral, and a ground, which then feed through the breaker and on out to the warehouse panel via a 4-wire flexible cable which I have spliced to my feeders.
My question is, where should the ground rod be driven, and where should the neutral be bonded to ground? And why?
Since the manufacturer did not bond the neutral at the generator, I decided to bond it at the main panel using the green bonding screw provided by Square D. I then drove the ground rod outside behind the wall on which the panel is mounted and ran my GEC from the panel's ground bar to the rod outside. There is continuity at the panel, therefore, between neutral and ground.
Everything works. The lights and receptacles function normally, and I have 120V phase-to-ground and 240V between phases, as I would hope. But my conscience will not rest. I'm wondering if, by bonding at the panel, I have created a parallel return path for fault current along the equipment grounding conductor which runs out to the generator. I partly believe that that conductor should be removed, and yet the manufacturer saw fit to install it. What do you think?
I've studied the code quite a bit and am unable to decide, based on what I've read, what the best way to proceed is.
As a young journeyman electrician, I pride myself on doing the job right, but there are also a lot of gaps in my knowledge in many areas. I know the system works currently, but I want to make sure it's correct and I would like to understand why it is or isn't. Any help or insights you may be able provide would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks again! I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
I have a question concerning grounding and bonding which I have researched fairly extensively over the past week and have been unable to come up with a satisfactory solution for. I would appreciate any help or insight anyone may be able to provide, as I am somewhat stumped. Let me describe my installation and perhaps someone will be able to help. Thanks in advance!
I have installed a 125A main panel in a warehouse which will eventually serve about 12 circuits. Nothing major--no machinery, etc., just lights and receptacles. The panel is fed exclusively by a 15.5kW (prime) generator. There is no alternative source of power, and therefore no transfer switch. The generator is an FG Wilson P14-4S. Using my multimeter, I have determined that the manufacturer has not bonded the neutral to the ground at the generator. The wires from the alternator land on a terminal block which has two hots (A & B phases), a neutral, and a ground, which then feed through the breaker and on out to the warehouse panel via a 4-wire flexible cable which I have spliced to my feeders.
My question is, where should the ground rod be driven, and where should the neutral be bonded to ground? And why?
Since the manufacturer did not bond the neutral at the generator, I decided to bond it at the main panel using the green bonding screw provided by Square D. I then drove the ground rod outside behind the wall on which the panel is mounted and ran my GEC from the panel's ground bar to the rod outside. There is continuity at the panel, therefore, between neutral and ground.
Everything works. The lights and receptacles function normally, and I have 120V phase-to-ground and 240V between phases, as I would hope. But my conscience will not rest. I'm wondering if, by bonding at the panel, I have created a parallel return path for fault current along the equipment grounding conductor which runs out to the generator. I partly believe that that conductor should be removed, and yet the manufacturer saw fit to install it. What do you think?
I've studied the code quite a bit and am unable to decide, based on what I've read, what the best way to proceed is.
As a young journeyman electrician, I pride myself on doing the job right, but there are also a lot of gaps in my knowledge in many areas. I know the system works currently, but I want to make sure it's correct and I would like to understand why it is or isn't. Any help or insights you may be able provide would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks again! I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
