Shared Neutral & Ground

[sb1280]

On a recent dock inspection I found 6 circuits sharing both the neutral and ground conductors. The receptacles are individual GFCI outlets at the slips. NEC 2005 is current code. Does 210.4 permit this?

One breaker is double lugged so there are 7 circuits. And bonding screw is missing from the grounding bus.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

picture is not the best so hard to see. What they can share is 1 circuit from each hot leg.
If any 2 are on same side you have violation
The bonding screw depends on if this is a sub panel or not. Is there a grounding conductor feeding panel ?
The double wires may be violation depending on breaker listing but is easy fix with pigtail

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

WOW managed to inlarge picture. I do see the grounding conductor so other than green tape its ok and bonding screw should not be in.
I only see 1 neutral so that opens up a question as to the loads. Could have 2 120 volt circuits and other 4 can be 240 volt but are missing tie handles

 

[sb1280]

There are 7 120 volt circuits going to 7 dock GFCI outlets. The neutral bus on the left has one orange conductor. The ground bus is on the right. The load is basically boat lifts which would be short loads and chance of several at same time are minimial.

 

[sb1280]

This a panel below a main disconnect. It is a 4 wire feed with the smaller black going to the ground bus from the service equipment.

 

[sb1280]

Tried clean up photo a little.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

Yes i see the misuse of orange wire.
I hope you not only red tag this install but have the EC come to the office and have a long conversation. It shows us someone that must have cheated to get license. Would enter a red flag next to anything this man pulls a permit for. If the loads are seldom at same time or not has nothing to do with this install. Job needs 911 shut down order till fixed
Seen better work from a handy man than this

 

[muskrat]

WHERE TO START
1-box bond screw in sub panel
2-1/2 cond on left w/ orange neutral and hot off breaker w/ another wire on it
3-6 hot wires and only 1 neut. in 1" on left should have 6 whites or 4 and handle ties on a pair of CBs on each side
too much $&^) to reference code articles
Reeks of DIY- RED TAG

 

[Dennis Alwon]

There are many violations here. First is the lack of green tape on the EGC and lack of a bonding screw to the can on the ground bar.

IMO, there are 6 circuits with one circuit doubled up-- this may or may not be kosher.

It seems a bushing should be installed on the PVC.

I see red wires used as a neutral.

It looks as if the EGC from the feeder has some strands removed to fit under the lug of the ground bar.

I am still trying to figure what that green wire is at the bottom of the panel. It exits the panel by itself and appears to be connected to the panel enclosure.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

Not sure but looks like green bonding screw between the main lugs and up about 2 inches.
Yes does seem to have a green wire going no place.
Time to check who did the actual install. Think we all agree it is garbage quality

 

[PaulWDent]

The neutral hot and ground must be in same conduit.

The neutral hot and ground must be in same conduit.

I see two hots and no neutral going down the 1/2" conduit. The two hots are on opposite phases, so it may be a 240-volt circuit, but if so, a 2-pole breaker (on the same side of the panel) must be used. Then, how can you be sure somebody is not going to pick up one of these hots with the neutral from the other conduit to get a 120-volt circuit, thereby violating the requirement to have go-and-return current in the same conduit?

It all needs rewiring to code, and I would provide a neutral and a ground wire in each conduit, even if the neutral was just capped at the other end if there were only 240 volt loads for now .

 

[hurk27]

Square D does allow two wires to a breaker in both QO and Home Line.

But what Square D doesn't allow is the jumper bar between the two neutral bars to be removed, this is a 110.3 violation, as that is why the bonding screw is located in the middle of it, your supposed to install the proper grounding bars. ITE, and a few other manufactures do allow the jumper bar to be removed, but not Square D, and the fact there not easy to remove.

The 1/2" conduit doesn't have two hots and a ground, it has a orange neutral and a red hot, and a ground.

I would also make sure the added copper EGC does in fact run to the service and is not there just for show.

Also without a bond from the EGC bar to the panel box, any fault to this case will not have a fault current path and can be at 120 volts to earth if a hot was to make contact with it.

The rest was covered above by others, like the missing bushing on the feeder conduit.

I would put top priority on this as this is for outlets by water, very dangerous location.

If I was the inspector it would be shut down as a life safety hazard, till fixed.

 

[DARUSA]

1- Look Luke the #6 green from the electrode is not connected. If this panel is a service panel it should be connected to de neutral bar and in that case the bonding screws make sense.
if this is not a service panel !! It have to be connected to the grounding bar as other posted before this panel have no grounding bar due to the jumper between the bars.
Shared 7 hot with one neutral is a criminal action!!!

Orange connected to the neutral bar ( I thought that if the cable is 6 or below the 6, had to be white! No marking tape Is permited!!!

And if this panel is a service panel Were is the main breaker?

 

[sb1280]

There is a service equipment panel at meter. There are 2 disconnect breakers for this dock in the service panel because there are two of these panels on this dock. The number 6 green on the ground bar goes to the post holding the panel. There is no bond screw in the ground bar, but maybe the #6 was suppose to cover the bonding. I appreciate all the responses and insight. One more attempt at a better photo.

Part of the inspection was that the second panel had a problem with one of the 120v feeds. This is what I found.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

1- Look Luke the #6 green from the electrode is not connected. If this panel is a service panel it should be connected to de neutral bar and in that case the bonding screws make sense.
if this is not a service panel !! It have to be connected to the grounding bar as other posted before this panel have no grounding bar due to the jumper between the bars.
Shared 7 hot with one neutral is a criminal action!!!

Orange connected to the neutral bar ( I thought that if the cable is 6 or below the 6, had to be white! No marking tape Is permited!!!

And if this panel is a service panel Were is the main breaker?

He told us it is not a service panel. If it was it be ok because only has 6 breakers

I am not familar with this panel but it does seem that bar on right is not a ground bar

This is beginning to look like a boat lift company that perhaps rents an electrical license and does it's own wiring.

Up to him how far he pushes this but action is not only needed her but likely at all the other jobs this company has done. Several things wrong and that points to totaly unqualified workers.

 

[jxofaltrds]

There is a service equipment panel at meter. There are 2 disconnect breakers for this dock in the service panel because there are two of these panels on this dock. The number 6 green on the ground bar goes to the post holding the panel. There is no bond screw in the ground bar, but maybe the #6 was suppose to cover the bonding. I appreciate all the responses and insight. One more attempt at a better photo.

Part of the inspection was that the second panel had a problem with one of the 120v feeds. This is what I found.

The 2nd panel is my favorite.

Are those #12's under a 30AMP?
All on one leg.
Opening in panel.

I could go on but why.

I am not sure how I would write these up.

Is "its a mess" in the code?

 

[hurk27]

As far as grounding conductors and neutrals in your OP, your only required to install one EGC sized for the largest circuit conductor in a raceway, neutrals can be shared with more then one circuit but it depends upon how many phases the service has and or brought to the panel the circuits are fed from, in this case 2.

Now for this last photo, I see #12 on 30 amp breakers.

Again no bushings on the feeder pipe.

removing the cross link in the Square D panel, 110.3 violation.

No ground bar to panel bond.

Bonding the panel can to the mounting metal still does not bond the grounding bar, the mounting bolts will do as much.

Also as you can see the corrosion on the main buss, while not a violation aluminum is a poor choice of materials for an outdoor panel buss.

Like I said, it's your call, but since this is a location where cords can be used around water, if were me I would be pulling the plug on these two panels till fixed.

I apears that these have been in operation for some time? was there a permit pulled? if not how was it you came about inspecting these?

 

[Twoskinsoneman]

4It shows us someone that must have cheated to get license.

Would u explain this? What would "cheated to get license" mean exactly?

 

[sb1280]

Sorry to say here in my part of the world, Mid-Missouri, there are no licensing authorities or requirements for electricians. The definition of "qualified" is what has allowed work like this to be done. Management of this condo complex have been advised in writing of the hazards and violations.
In 2006 Ameren Missouri and local fire districts have adopted local ordinances governing electrical installations on the docks at the Lake of the Ozarks.
See link for requirements: http://www.ameren.com/sites/aue/lakeoftheozarks/Pages/DockElectricalInstallations.aspx
The dock in this thread is only of 3 docks at this location that inspected because of a dock modification being done. This is a typical find of any docks wired pre-2006. I was told the condo builder actually hired the plumber onsite to finish wiring the docks. There are currently 26,000 plus docks located on this lake. I am finding them one at a time. Any remarks or input about the requirements as shown in the linked documents would be welcome. In early 2011 there is going to be a review of the requirements. NEC 2005 is adopted with some AHJ changes. Thanks again.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Why is there a GEC in this non service panel? I hope there is one in the service panel or meter.