My main panel is in my basement, which is connected to the meter on the other side of the foundation wall. Inside my main panel they bonded the neutral to the panel. The equipment grounding conductors are connected to the grounding bar which is attached to a cold water pipe. They are isolated from each other is this correct? P.s. this is not a sub-panel.
100 amp Bryant panelboard
- Thread starter Joelcarp
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
Forum rules do not allow us to assist persons who are not electricians and who intend to perform their own electrical work. It appears to me that you are not an electrician. I will approve this thread and allow members to respond, so long as your interest lies only in learning whether your installation is safe and proper. But if you start asking how to correct any possible safety issues, we are going to have to close this thread and instruct you to find answers elsewhere.
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
I am not certain I understand your description. In particular, what is the "they" in your statement that "they are isolated from each other"?
I will say that the neutral bus and the ground bus are required to be connected to each other in one location and in no other location downstream. That location is the same as the first overcurrent device encountered by the service conductors. In your case, it would be the main panel. It's not a huge deal, but the wire running to a water pipe (or to ground rods) is supposed to be connected to the neutral bar, not the grounding bar.
I will say that the neutral bus and the ground bus are required to be connected to each other in one location and in no other location downstream. That location is the same as the first overcurrent device encountered by the service conductors. In your case, it would be the main panel. It's not a huge deal, but the wire running to a water pipe (or to ground rods) is supposed to be connected to the neutral bar, not the grounding bar.
"They" meaning the grounding bar and the neutral bar. They do not have a jumper to each other. i.e. the two are isolated from one another.
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
From your initial description, I gather that there is some type of connection, be it a wire or a screw, between the neutral bar and the enclosure. There is supposed to be a direct connection, most likely a bolted connection, between the ground bar and the enclosure. If both of these are true, then the neutral bar and the ground bar are, in fact, bonded to each other. Not the best way of achieving the N-G bond, but it should perform its safety function.
readydave8
re member
- Location
- Clarkesville, Georgia
- Occupation
- electrician
You might want to consider hiring electrician to look at it
- Status