Splicing short grounds- how many?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Flatpad

Member
Location
NJ
I'm sure some of you have come to this situation. You go to change out an old panel for a new one. The old panel had a ground bar really high and they didn't leave any slack on the EGC's, so when you install the new panel they are all way too short to reach the new ground bar.

Instead of extending each EGC individually like you would with the grounded or ungrounded conductors, you can splice the EGC's together and run a tail down to the ground bar, correct? Is there any limit to how many or what size tail you would need to use?
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
IMO you're only limited by the number of conductors that you can legally put in a wire nut. The size of the pigtail would be based on the largest of the EGC's in the splice.
 

ActionDave

Chief Moderator
Staff member
Location
Durango, CO, 10 h 20 min from the winged horses.
Occupation
Licensed Electrician
Instead of extending each EGC individually like you would with the grounded or ungrounded conductors, you can splice the EGC's together and run a tail down to the ground bar, correct? Is there any limit to how many or what size tail you would need to use?
Conductor needs to be sized to the largest EGC and most wire nuts are limited to no more than five conductors of the same size.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
Also remember that split bolts are usually rated for 2 wires and no more. I don't know how many times I have used a split bolt in this situation. Oh well....
 

rt66electric

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
move /add grnd bar.

move /add grnd bar.

There is no rule that says the gnd bar has to be mounted here or there.
put it where you need it.

Add another if necessary.
 

Flatpad

Member
Location
NJ
There is no rule that says the gnd bar has to be mounted here or there.
put it where you need it.

Add another if necessary.
If you have 4 or 5 short grounds, it'll save a lot of time to splice them then to install a ground bar properly.


Out of curiosity, do all manufacturers allow you to put a ground bar where ever you like?
 

Ponchik

Senior Member
Location
CA
Occupation
Electronologist
There is no rule that says the gnd bar has to be mounted here or there.
put it where you need it.

Add another if necessary.

Yes but it will work great.

But some AHJ will ask if the there were predrilled holes in the location that you have installed the ground bar. If you drilled & tapped the holes then you have modified the panel and now you have modified a listed product. IMO, it is nonsense, but it is only my opinion.
 

Flatpad

Member
Location
NJ
None of them have said a word to me.:D
In another thread people are giving me a hard time about using a PVC MA in a meyers hub because it wasn't listed for that use. :roll:

In comparison, drilling holes in an enclosure made to take a certain amount of blast/explosion, removing paint making a possible point of corrosion, etc. seems worse in comparison :lol:

Not that I haven't done it, just wondering about it.
 

George Stolz

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
Occupation
Service Manager
In another thread people are giving me a hard time about using a PVC MA in a meyers hub because it wasn't listed for that use. :roll:

In comparison, drilling holes in an enclosure made to take a certain amount of blast/explosion, removing paint making a possible point of corrosion, etc. seems worse in comparison :lol:

Not that I haven't done it, just wondering about it.

Are you seeking instruction/discussion or trolling for an argument? If you're simply posting to start arguments then expect a short stay. This forum's intent is the positive exchange of information, not to incite brawls over minutiae.
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
Conductor needs to be sized to the largest EGC and most wire nuts are limited to no more than five conductors of the same size.

These are good for 8

30-090J.jpg

http://www.idealindustries.com/prodDetail.do?prodId=in-sure&div=0&l1=push-in
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top