Bonding Screw in GE Panels

[Little Bill]

I started a job finishing someone else's wiring. Guy did the rough and (supposedly) the owner fired him. Without getting into what a mess I've got, I just remembered looking at the new GE panel and not remembering seeing what bonded the neutral bus to the panel. I haven't done any work in a new GE panel, so my question is do they use a bonding screw or a wire clamped in the bus then screwed to the can. I will surely have no trouble seeing it, I was just thinking about it and don't recall seeing what means GE uses. All I can see is all the unmarked homeruns hanging everywhere.:happysad:

 

[Gac66610]

GE panels generally use a bonding screw, located at the bottom left of the neutral bar or bottom right,
the screw was in the panel when opened if its not there now (or on the floor) might have to get one from distributor

think i might have one in my truck

 

[Gac66610]

no i didnt fly over there and start your nightmare

i label my home runs :happyyes:

 

[Hv&Lv]

I used to work for a guy years ago that ran wire everywhere in new houses. Never marked anything. All the #14 and #12 wires were labeled "lights and receptacles" in the panels at final. Most of the times he got the larger wires correct, and if the new homeowner had a question as to what the breakers fed, he sent me over there to turn on everything and flip the breakers until something shut off, then remark the panel. A sharpie would have made it so much easier. I hated working for him...

 

[Gac66610]

MY dad and i did a house, good sized not sure of sq ft but larger than normal,
i diligently marked every HR I thought the panels were going over there, but they went to a closer location so HR's were a little long,
Dad was working on the service while i made up the house .... long story short ... he cut all my labels off

well i tried

 

[Little Bill]

no i didnt fly over there and start your nightmare

i label my home runs :happyyes:

Worked my new toner out pretty good!
Now "his" home runs are labeled!:happyyes:

 

[LEO2854]

I started a job finishing someone else's wiring. Guy did the rough and (supposedly) the owner fired him. Without getting into what a mess I've got, I just remembered looking at the new GE panel and not remembering seeing what bonded the neutral bus to the panel. I haven't done any work in a new GE panel, so my question is do they use a bonding screw or a wire clamped in the bus then screwed to the can. I will surely have no trouble seeing it, I was just thinking about it and don't recall seeing what means GE uses. All I can see is all the unmarked homeruns hanging everywhere.:happysad:

The last one i did had the bonding screw.

 

[Jerseydaze]

lowes sell GE and take returns on GE panels that are missing parts.

 

[guschash]

I too had to return a GE panel with missing parts. Could believe it, panel up on wall and my parter goes hey there no grounging bar. Usually neutral bar is on the left of a GE panel and bonding screw is on bottom of that.

gus

 

[Little Bill]

lowes sell GE and take returns on GE panels that are missing parts.

My Lowes only sells the panels and breakers, no parts.

I too had to return a GE panel with missing parts. Could believe it, panel up on wall and my parter goes hey there no grounging bar. Usually neutral bar is on the left of a GE panel and bonding screw is on bottom of that.

gus

The neutral is on the right in this panel, but both bars are marked at the bottom for bonding screw.

Ok now someone please help me understand this. I got my meter out and checked for continuity between the neutral bar and the can. I had continuity, so I thought they must have bonded it somewhere but I couldn't find anywhere that it was bonded.
Now for the scary part. I don't know why I checked continuity between each leg and the panel, I just did. But the scary part is one of the legs shows continuity between it and the can. How can this be? If the panel were energized one leg would be shorted right to the can.

Any ideas as to how I'm showing continuity between both neutral bar and panel and one leg and the panel?
This has me worried!!!:huh:

 

[Little Bill]

My Lowes only sells the panels and breakers, no parts.



The neutral is on the right in this panel, but both bars are marked at the bottom for bonding screw.

Ok now someone please help me understand this. I got my meter out and checked for continuity between the neutral bar and the can. I had continuity, so I thought they must have bonded it somewhere but I couldn't find anywhere that it was bonded.
Now for the scary part. I don't know why I checked continuity between each leg and the panel, I just did. But the scary part is one of the legs shows continuity between it and the can. How can this be? If the panel were energized one leg would be shorted right to the can.

Any ideas as to how I'm showing continuity between both neutral bar and panel and one leg and the panel?
This has me worried!!!:huh:

Bump

 

[mjf]

Start disconnecting wires from the panel. Start with your service wires. See (if it is a wire) which wire being removed breaks the continuity from your hot leg to your neutral bar. If that works you have a neutral to hot "short" somewhere in the wire. Check the weatherhead end of the service wire. Never "fun" to clean up someone else's mess!

 

[Little Bill]

Start disconnecting wires from the panel. Start with your service wires. See (if it is a wire) which wire being removed breaks the continuity from your hot leg to your neutral bar. If that works you have a neutral to hot "short" somewhere in the wire. Check the weatherhead end of the service wire. Never "fun" to clean up someone else's mess!

The "hot" leg short to panel is what concerns me the most. But any ideas as to why the neutral appears to be bonded even though no bonding screw exists?

 

[readydave8]

The "hot" leg short to panel is what concerns me the most. But any ideas as to why the neutral appears to be bonded even though no bonding screw exists?

Well I appreciate it when someone points out obvious, especially when I'm stressed by a difficult job and missed something simple, don't be offended if I ask:

Is the feed to the panel run yet and hooked up at service disconnect?

 

[Little Bill]

Well I appreciate it when someone points out obvious, especially when I'm stressed by a difficult job and missed something simple, don't be offended if I ask:

Is the feed to the panel run yet and hooked up at service disconnect?

The feed is run, but just out the weather head, nothing to the POCO lines.

 

[kwired]

My Lowes only sells the panels and breakers, no parts.

I think he was trying to tell you that if it were returned without all the parts that came with it they may not know any better and accept it and place it back on shelf for selling again. Take this information however you want, I am not going to say anymore.

The neutral is on the right in this panel, but both bars are marked at the bottom for bonding screw.

Ok now someone please help me understand this. I got my meter out and checked for continuity between the neutral bar and the can. I had continuity, so I thought they must have bonded it somewhere but I couldn't find anywhere that it was bonded.
Now for the scary part. I don't know why I checked continuity between each leg and the panel, I just did. But the scary part is one of the legs shows continuity between it and the can. How can this be? If the panel were energized one leg would be shorted right to the can.

Any ideas as to how I'm showing continuity between both neutral bar and panel and one leg and the panel?
This has me worried!!!:huh:

Is any wiring connected to said panel or do you have this continuity with nothing externally connected? AFCI/GFCI breakers installed with neutral connected and in 'on' position?

Missing bonding screw isn't stuck somewhere and in contact with enclosure and one ungrounded bus?

See someone sort of beat me to it. Since you mentioned it - is this continuity coming from panel or the service cable? Or as I was getting at any branch circuits that may be connected?

 

[Little Bill]

I think he was trying to tell you that if it were returned without all the parts that came with it they may not know any better and accept it and place it back on shelf for selling again. Take this information however you want, I am not going to say anymore.



Is any wiring connected to said panel or do you have this continuity with nothing externally connected? AFCI/GFCI breakers installed with neutral connected and in 'on' position?

Missing bonding screw isn't stuck somewhere and in contact with enclosure and one ungrounded bus?

See someone sort of beat me to it. Since you mentioned it - is this continuity coming from panel or the service cable? Or as I was getting at any branch circuits that may be connected?

All circuits are installed and service cables are installed, just not connecting at the weather head yet. I do have AFCIs installed, but if I remember correctly, I checked the continuity before I installed them. My first thing to do when I got on site was to see if the bonding screw I picked up would fit and it didn't. Just out of curiosity I started checking continuity and that's when my head started "swimming."
I don't see/feel anything between the neutral bar and the can.

 

[Gac66610]

The screw should​ be th only thing to bond neutral to the can,
is it SE cable or EMT from meter
just wondering if he didnt mark HR's maybe the neutral is miss marked?

 

[Little Bill]

The screw should​ be th only thing to bond neutral to the can,
is it SE cable or EMT from meter
just wondering if he didnt mark HR's maybe the neutral is miss marked?

PVC with aluminum conductors

I'm pretty sure the neutral is correct. He couldn't mis-mark that one, it's got the stripe on it. I did look in the meter can and I'm almost certain it was correct. I will check again in the morning. Probably even remove the neutral from the lug and check again.

 

[Sierrasparky]

Could be sabotage. Ya never know. It is your responsibility now! Be careful and double check everything.