PetrosA
Senior Member
- Location
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
This is a question about an older installation at a natural gas pressure boosting facility (along a pipeline).
Any of the subpanels I've seen in separate structures on the site have the neutrals bonded to the enclosure. Some have additional grounds run from gensets that have also been connected to the neutral bars. There are (obviously) ground rods all over the place and bonds between ground rods, structures, electrical pipes and gas pipes. Additionally, they use a sacrificial anode system that pumps DC current through the pipes to prevent corrosion. Since I'm not an expert in this kind of installation, I have the following question:
In spite of the fact that they may have been within code to not run separate ground conductors to subpanels and separate structures at the time of the install, doesn't the fact that neutrals are bonded to ground at all the subpanels mean that part of the neutral current is being carried by the gas pipe system on site and also getting mixed in with the DC current being used for the sacrificial anode system? Is this safe? Should I make a recommendation to separate the neutral/ground bonds?
Thanks
Any of the subpanels I've seen in separate structures on the site have the neutrals bonded to the enclosure. Some have additional grounds run from gensets that have also been connected to the neutral bars. There are (obviously) ground rods all over the place and bonds between ground rods, structures, electrical pipes and gas pipes. Additionally, they use a sacrificial anode system that pumps DC current through the pipes to prevent corrosion. Since I'm not an expert in this kind of installation, I have the following question:
In spite of the fact that they may have been within code to not run separate ground conductors to subpanels and separate structures at the time of the install, doesn't the fact that neutrals are bonded to ground at all the subpanels mean that part of the neutral current is being carried by the gas pipe system on site and also getting mixed in with the DC current being used for the sacrificial anode system? Is this safe? Should I make a recommendation to separate the neutral/ground bonds?
Thanks