bonding a subpanel

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Electron_Sam78

Electron_Sam78

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Palm Bay, FL
I just talked to a friend of mine who is helping a DIYer with a service install. They have a combo meter can (mounted on the side of the building)with 3 service disconnect breaker slots. One of those breakers feeds a panel on the other side of the building and was run underground, under the building -it's a concrete slab. They did not run an EGC. What's the best thing they can do in this situation according to code? Since it's on the same building I assume it doesn't fall under 250.32 or does it?
 
augie47

augie47

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Tennessee
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State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
is the load on the subpanel such that it can be converted to a 120v panel ?
 
Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

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Chapel Hill, NC
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Retired Electrical Contractor
If it is metal conduit then no need for an EGC if not they need an EGC. I would probably abandon the underground and install new cable overhead.
 
Jim W in Tampa

Jim W in Tampa

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Location
Tampa Florida
Electron_Sam78 said:
I just talked to a friend of mine who is helping a DIYer with a service install. They have a combo meter can (mounted on the side of the building)with 3 service disconnect breaker slots. One of those breakers feeds a panel on the other side of the building and was run underground, under the building -it's a concrete slab. They did not run an EGC. What's the best thing they can do in this situation according to code? Since it's on the same building I assume it doesn't fall under 250.32 or does it?
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Best thing is to have them hire an electrician. If messed up this early into install they need help
 
augie47

augie47

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Tennessee
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State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
commercial ?
Use the existing feeder to supply a 240v transformer. 240/120 secondary to your panel, establish a grounding electrode for an SDS.
 
Electron_Sam78

Electron_Sam78

Senior Member
Location
Palm Bay, FL
Would it be feasible according to code to have them install a feed through lug instead of a breaker at the meter combo panel to create an outside tap of unlimited length to the panel and then have them bond the neutral and ground bars at the tapped panel? Also they have driven a ground rod at the sub-panel FYI. If that were done that would make the now sub-panel into a second service correct?

*Sigh* Why people try and take on something themselves that can burn their house/shop down if improperly installed is beyond me. :mad:
 
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Jim W in Tampa

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
Electron_Sam78 said:
Would it be feasible according to code to have them install a feed through lug instead of a breaker at the meter combo panel to create an outside tap of unlimited length to the panel and then have them bond the neutral and ground bars at the tapped panel? Also they have driven a ground rod at the sub-panel FYI. If that were done that would make the now sub-panel into a second service correct?

*Sigh* Why people try and take on something themselves that can burn their house/shop down if improperly installed is beyond me. :mad:
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No because now they are not grouped together. They screwed it up big time and now will pay the price. SER overhead is about only suggestion.
 
Electron_Sam78

Electron_Sam78

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Location
Palm Bay, FL
Jim W in Tampa said:
No because now they are not grouped together. They screwed it up big time and now will pay the price. SER overhead is about only suggestion.
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Well unfortunately they have no AHJ to require them to change anything and they're not going to spend money to correct it. It's a small rural town and the POCO only inspects to the meter combo can.
 
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