Bonding at remote service disconnect

[justanotherone]

Hi I am a property inspector and run into this on going debate with several properties here in VT. The issue is when there is a meter with a service disconnect located on the exterior (not too common around here). My understanding is that at this location, no matter where it is (on a pole 100 yards away from the house or on the side of the house) a driven rod is needed and the neutral and ground shall be bonded in the main service disconnect. Any panel located downstream from this location needs to have 4 wires brought to it and all neutral and grounds need to be separated. I have met a few electricians who claim that if there are ground rods driven in at the remote panel (sub panel) then a fourth wire does not need to be brought from the main service disconnect location. Is this correct? Most recently a licensed electrician is claiming that at 2004, this was allowed and can remain as is. TIA

 

[roger]

The electrician is correct, before the 2005 cycle you didn't need an EGC for a detached building however there could not be any potential parallel neutral path, this could be a phone line, metallic water system, antenna wiring, ...........

Today the detached building does in fact have to have a Grounding Electrode System as well as the Equipment Grounding Conductor (4th wire).

 

[jaggedben]

This involves exception 1 to 260.32(B)(1). The electrician is essentially correct.

When there is no green wire run to the separate building, there should be a ground to neutral bond there, not just an electrode.

 

[electrofelon]

. I have met a few electricians who claim that if there are ground rods driven in at the remote panel (sub panel) then a fourth wire does not need to be brought from the main service disconnect location.

This involves exception 1 to 260.32(B)(1). The electrician is essentially correct.

When there is no green wire run to the separate building, there should be a ground to neutral bond there, not just an electrode.

Just wanted to emphasize that part of jaggedben's response make sure it wasn't missed.