Grounded in Mexico

[wiredinmexico]

I am building a new house in a small fishing village in Mexico, and have no access to an electrician. Grounding equipment is rarely done, and the local hardware store folks look mystified when I bring up the subject of equipment grounds!
"Why would I waste a good wire" they ask...
Anyway, I have a 120v service coming off the power lines to the power meter which I have grounded with an electrode.
I ran three #8 wires (80')to a main shutoff which contains two 30amp cartidge type fuses for the hot and the neutral, grounded the fuse box casing, and placed another electrode in the earth.
The breaker panel (which is located immeadiately beside the main shutoff) is a Mexican version of a Square D "QO" series, but the nuetral bar is not isolated from the panel. I have never grounded a nuetral buss to a downstream panel, and was wondering should I isolate the neutrals from the ground in the panel?
Also, I have thought about asking the power company for a 220v service. Do I need a 4th wire for the neutral as well as the insulated ground wire?
Constructions standards may be dismal here but the fishing is fantastic!
Gracias amigos!

[ December 16, 2004, 10:26 AM: Message edited by: wiredinmexico ]

 

[George Stolz]

Re: Grounded in Mexico

Lo siento, amigo, pero no hablamos con gente que no trabajar con electricidad.

Su casa probablamente necessita mas de treinta amps. Digo esto. Buenos suerte!

P.S. It sounds like there's an opening for an electrician in your village. How far is the nearest electrician?

[ December 18, 2004, 11:25 AM: Message edited by: georgestolz ]

 

[charlie b]

Re: Grounded in Mexico

Originally posted by wiredinmexico:"Why would I waste a good wire" they ask.

The answer to that is, ?To prevent someone from getting killed.? As responses go, this one is often convincing.

. . . but the neutral bar is not isolated from the panel. I have never grounded a neutral bus to the panel, and was wondering should I isolate the neutrals and ground the panel case?

I am not completely sure that I understand your description. But the neutral bar and the ground bar are supposed to be connected (?bonded?) to each other at the first (?service?) enclosure (i.e., the enclosure at which the building?s first disconnecting means is installed). Any neutral wires coming into that enclosure should be connected to the neutral bar, and any EGCs should be connected to the ground bar, even though those two are bonded to each other.

At any and all panels downstream of the service panel, you need to separate the neutral bar from the ground bar (remove the bonding jumper, if one is installed).

 

[wiredinmexico]

Re: Grounded in Mexico

The breaker panel is located immediately beside the main shutoff, and has only a buss bar which is bonded to the breaker panel enclosure.
It seems to me I need to install an isolated neutral bar...
thx

 

[gndrod]

Re: Grounded in Mexico

Como sta Amigo,

Jorge es correctamente.

You mentioned cartridge fuses for both hot and neutral. Es verdade?

edited out Guiliermo.
rbj, Seattle

[ December 18, 2004, 10:38 AM: Message edited by: gndrod ]

 

[atrevino]

Re: Grounded in Mexico

Just because of the ignorance of one, probably uneducated, electrical technician it does not make the whole country a mess. Don?t buy on the stereotypes please.

It?s sad that you believe there are no electrical codes in Mexico. If you tried a little, you would have find that the Mexican code is known as NOM-00-SEDE-1999 and it?s the conforming complement to the CEC and NEC (NFPA 70).

In your case, the ground bar at the service entry point should serve you well for the purpose of grounding the neutral conductor (grounded conductor, bonding neutral-ground) and taking from this bar the wire to the grounding electrode and grounding line for your residence outlets.

Neutral (grounded) and grounding wire shall not be bonded anywere else "downstream".

Where is your house located?

Best Regards

Arturo Trevino

 

[gndrod]

Re: Grounded in Mexico

Arturo, My apologies. No sterotypes intended. The mention of a 30 Amp fused cartridge neutral is a serious concern no matter where the line supply feeds.

Wired* in Mexico, A qualified electrical professional is highly suggested.

*edited out Grounded
rbj, Seattle

[ December 19, 2004, 05:41 AM: Message edited by: gndrod ]

 

[charlie]

Re: Grounded in Mexico

Sometimes, we all get a little irritated at something and bite back or make an offensive comment. Most of the time, it is not malicious, we are just being people and no harm was intended. On the other hand, we get into an argument that has to be controlled and posts removed or maybe the whole thread removed.

We, the moderators, will not let a heated argument get totally out of hand but we encourage a good discussion (that means no personal attacks).

With all that said, I don't think there was any intent to slur Mexico or anyone from Mexico. We do know (I think) that Mexico has adopted the NEC and like many of our states, it has amendments and there are places that do not enforce it. For instance, Indiana has adopted the NEC with the Indiana amendments. We have some counties that do not have any inspection authorities and a home may be built without following any codes at all.