Add Ground lugs to GE PowerMark Gold

[lanel]

I have a GE PowerMark Gold wired as a subpanel in our house which will feed another 125A subpanel at a poolhouse. I need to add 2/0 ground lugs to both the neutral bar and the ground bar. I picked up a GE lug with the tabs that insert under the screws in the existing ground and neutral bars but the width of the tabs are too wide to get into the screw holes. The holes are approx 3/8 oc.

One option I have considered was using a dual ground lug that screws down from the top. The other is the one above with the two tabs that are placed under the screws in the existing ground/neutral bars. I have not been able to find any compatible with what I have. They need to accept 2/0 and be sufficient for a 125 amp circuit.

Can anyone offer suggestions as to the best method to use and provide part numbers/sources for what I need. I was going to contact GE but they are so large that I could not find a contact for the electrical panel division.

Thanks,

 

[suemarkp]

Why do you have a 2/0 neutral and especially a 2/0 ground in a 125A rated panel?

 

[augie47]

You can access "GE Buy Log Load Centers" on line. There is an accessory section where you can compare with what you have.
(Often the load center cover data sheet will have that info)

 

[lanel]

Why do you have a 2/0 neutral and especially a 2/0 ground in a 125A rated panel?

I have a direct burial quad cable and the ground I believe is 1/0. Other conductors are 2/0

When the subpanel was installed many years ago it was only intended to provide some expansion for the house. It has very little loading on it so changing it out would be an option since it will now need to feed another subpanel in a pool house.

 

[lanel]

load center cover data sheet

I have all the info from the label. I tried to find the lugs listed and did not see them online. It may be that the panel is obsolete. But I will check into the site you mentioned. Thanks

 

[kwired]

I have a direct burial quad cable and the ground I believe is 1/0. Other conductors are 2/0

When the subpanel was installed many years ago it was only intended to provide some expansion for the house. It has very little loading on it so changing it out would be an option since it will now need to feed another subpanel in a pool house.

Do you even have room for those conductors in the panel?

How about some sort of tap connector on the feeder conductors?

 

[lanel]

This is a picture of what I am working with. On the ground bar (left) I wanted to add a lug at the top and move the current bonding wire down wot accommodate. On the neutral bar (right) there is already an occupied lug from the main panel neutral. I need to add another lug there. I had looked at a dual stacked type that would mount on top.

Like I said, it is lightly populated so changing out the entire panel to a larger one could be an option but if I can make this properly work, that would be my preference since I would not expect to be adding much of anything else later on.

I am not familiar with the tap you are talking about. What does it look like?

 

[LarryFine]

From my local Home Depot, all GE parts, in no particular order:

GE Neutral Kit TNLK250 - The Home Depot

PowerMark Gold Neutral Kit. For 6-250 wire range. Mounted on top of neutral only.

www.homedepot.com

GE PowerMark Gold Neutral/Ground Kit TLK20CP - The Home Depot

The GE PowerMark Gold Neutral/Ground Kit is ideal for use with wire range 6-2/0. This kit can be mounted on any neutral or ground position by simply removing the termination screw.

www.homedepot.com

GE Neutral/Ground Kit TLK250 - The Home Depot

PowerMark Gold Neutral/Ground Kit for wire range 6-250. Can be mounted on any neutral or ground position by removing the termination screw. For use in select Powermark Gold load centers.

www.homedepot.com

The first one has a very high price, but it might be for a 10-pack.

 

[kwired]

I am not familiar with the tap you are talking about. What does it look like?

Many options, split bolt, crimp on, mechanical lug types, Polaris type taps....Just make a tap to the feeder conductor if you can't find some sort of adapter for neutral/ground bus or if they are full.

 

[Fred B]

What's with all the Green? The ungrounded and grounded conductors are a violation of 250.119 in using the green conductors on these. There is no allowances for reidentifying of the grounding conductor for any other purpose other than the grounding conductor.

 

[lanel]

I

From my local Home Depot, all GE parts, in no particular order:

GE Neutral Kit TNLK250 - The Home Depot

PowerMark Gold Neutral Kit. For 6-250 wire range. Mounted on top of neutral only.

www.homedepot.com

GE PowerMark Gold Neutral/Ground Kit TLK20CP - The Home Depot

The GE PowerMark Gold Neutral/Ground Kit is ideal for use with wire range 6-2/0. This kit can be mounted on any neutral or ground position by simply removing the termination screw.

www.homedepot.com

GE Neutral/Ground Kit TLK250 - The Home Depot

PowerMark Gold Neutral/Ground Kit for wire range 6-250. Can be mounted on any neutral or ground position by removing the termination screw. For use in select Powermark Gold load centers.

www.homedepot.com

The first one has a very high price, but it might be for a 10-pack.

Thanks for the information. The way things have gone up and the shortages, maybe it is for one? I went back and looked at what cable I purchased and it is not 2/0, it's (3) 1/0 with a #4 ground. But I still have to find a way to connect additional wiring.

 

[lanel]

What's with all the Green? The ungrounded and grounded conductors are a violation of 250.119 in using the green conductors on these. There is no allowances for reidentifying of the grounding conductor for any other purpose other than the grounding conductor.

I will end up changing out the green wiring to a slightly larger gauge. But I have an electrician friend who said the wires could be re-identified. Are you saying the greens being re-identified for the hots are OK, just not on the ground and neutral? Thanks

 

[LarryFine]

I went back and looked at what cable I purchased and it is not 2/0, it's (3) 1/0 with a #4 ground. But I still have to find a way to connect additional wiring.

All of those lugs are rated for as small as #6.

 

[Fred B]

I will end up changing out the green wiring to a slightly larger gauge. But I have an electrician friend who said the wires could be re-identified. Are you saying the greens being re-identified for the hots are OK, just not on the ground and neutral? Thanks

No, read the code referenced, it does not allow green for any other purpose other than for grounding. Larger black wires can be re-identified for grounded or grounding conductor, but code does not allow for green to be re-identified. White in the case of a cable assembly only, is allowed to be re-identified as an ungrounded conductor.

 

[Little Bill]

Sorry to have to do this but Forum rules say we can't help DIY installations unless you are an electrician.
I would suggest you have an electrician help with this project. One that is familiar with the code.