Confusion on 250.32B

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jkpyke

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I have 2 problems that deal with 250.32B and also the exception.

One building on the same property is supplied 120/240v single phase power from another building. There is no metallic water pipe or other metal equipment connecting the buildings. The second existing building is supplied from a 3-wire with two ungrounded conductors and a neutral. The neutral conductor is:

A. required to be bonded to the disconnect enclosure in the 2nd existing building and connected to a grounding electrode.
b. not permitted to be bonded to the disconnect enclosure or connected to a grounding electrode in the 2nd building.
c. only permitted to be connected to a grounding electrode at the supply end of the feeder in the first building.
d. only permitted to be connected to a grounding electrode at the 2nd building
e. not permitted to be connected to a grounding electrode at either building.

Since it is an existing building this would follow the exception of 250.32B, so I chose C, but would this be correct in saying that the exception is referring to the 1st building and would this be right?

The 2nd question is:

One building on the same property is supplied 120/240v single phase power from another building. The second building is supplied from a 4-wire feeder with 2 ungrounded conductors, a neutral conductor, and an equipment grounding conductor. The neutral conductor at the second building is:

A. not permitted to be connected to grounding electrode at either building.
b. required to be bonded to the equipment grounding conductor at the load end in the second building.
c. required to be bonded to the disconnect enclosure in the 2nd building and connected to a grounded electrode.
d. only permits to be connected to a grounding electrode at the second building.
e. only permitted to be connected to a grounding electrode and bonded to the disconnect enclosure at the supply end of the feeder in the first building.

I chose A. because of 250.32B going by the last sentence, but it contradicts itself from the top half. Am I reading this incorrectly?
 

raider1

Senior Member
Staff member
Location
Logan, Utah
I have 2 problems that deal with 250.32B and also the exception.

One building on the same property is supplied 120/240v single phase power from another building. There is no metallic water pipe or other metal equipment connecting the buildings. The second existing building is supplied from a 3-wire with two ungrounded conductors and a neutral. The neutral conductor is:

A. required to be bonded to the disconnect enclosure in the 2nd existing building and connected to a grounding electrode.
b. not permitted to be bonded to the disconnect enclosure or connected to a grounding electrode in the 2nd building.
c. only permitted to be connected to a grounding electrode at the supply end of the feeder in the first building.
d. only permitted to be connected to a grounding electrode at the 2nd building
e. not permitted to be connected to a grounding electrode at either building.

Since it is an existing building this would follow the exception of 250.32B, so I chose C, but would this be correct in saying that the exception is referring to the 1st building and would this be right?

What year code cycle is this question based on?

If this question is based on earlier codes then the 2008 the answer would be A.

This allowance was removed in the 2008 NEC

The 2nd question is:

One building on the same property is supplied 120/240v single phase power from another building. The second building is supplied from a 4-wire feeder with 2 ungrounded conductors, a neutral conductor, and an equipment grounding conductor. The neutral conductor at the second building is:

A. not permitted to be connected to grounding electrode at either building.
b. required to be bonded to the equipment grounding conductor at the load end in the second building.
c. required to be bonded to the disconnect enclosure in the 2nd building and connected to a grounded electrode.
d. only permits to be connected to a grounding electrode at the second building.
e. only permitted to be connected to a grounding electrode and bonded to the disconnect enclosure at the supply end of the feeder in the first building.

I chose A. because of 250.32B going by the last sentence, but it contradicts itself from the top half. Am I reading this incorrectly?

Answer A would be incorrect as the neutral conductor must be connected to the grounding electrode conductor at the service disconnecting means of the first building. Answer E would be correct assuming that the disconnect enclosure they are talking about is the service disconnecting means.

Chris
 

raider1

Senior Member
Staff member
Location
Logan, Utah
The first question is misleading. Is the feeder existing?

The exception to 250.32(B) is talking about existing premise wiring systems only, not existing buildings.

So if you have an existing building and supply it with a new feeder that feeder must contain an EGC.

If with the question the feeder is existing then the answer to the first question would be A.

Chris
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
The first question is misleading. Is the feeder existing?
Chris

Chris, question #1 is pretty clear that it is an existing 3 wire circuit, IMO. I would answer "A" since it will be bonded at the second building to the enclosure as well as any electrodes.

I don't understand your answer Chris. If the exception is used then the neutral is both bonded at the disconnect and to the gec.
 

raider1

Senior Member
Staff member
Location
Logan, Utah
Chris, question #1 is pretty clear that it is an existing 3 wire circuit, IMO. I would answer "A" since it will be bonded at the second building to the enclosure as well as any electrodes.

I don't understand your answer Chris. If the exception is used then the neutral is both bonded at the disconnect and to the gec.

Ok, let me clarify.

Existing feeder, using the exception to 250.32(B).

The neutral in the existing feeder must be bonded to the enclosure of the disconnecting means at the second building. The grounding electrode conductor at the second building must be connected to the neutral conductor at the disconnect for the second building.

So my answer to the first question would be A.

Hope this makes sense.

Chris
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
Ok, let me clarify.

Existing feeder, using the exception to 250.32(B).

The neutral in the existing feeder must be bonded to the enclosure of the disconnecting means at the second building. The grounding electrode conductor at the second building must be connected to the neutral conductor at the disconnect for the second building.

So my answer to the first question would be A.

Hope this makes sense.

Chris


Did you change your answer? :grin:I thought you answered "C" for question #1. Dang I am old....:)

I guess it was the OP that answered "C". Sorry
 
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