Grounding a meterbase

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jap

Senior Member
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Electrician
I talked to an electrician who built a 200a single phase residential service.
He took a #6 Bare ground wire from the Ground terminal on the Meter to (2) driven Ground Rods. (Existing Residence Upgrade).The only conductors he had going from the Meter to the 200a Main Breaker 3r Panel located next to the meter was (2) Phase Conductors and a Neutral. The Inspector would not Pass his installation until he installed the Green Bonding Screw from the Neutral in the Service Panel and bonded the Neutral to the Panel Can.
Was he actually required to do this?
Are you allowed to bond the Neutral in the Meter Can & The 1st Disconnecting Means both?
I mentioned he could have bonded the Neutral to the can with the bonding screw and installed the Grounding Electrode Conductor from the Service Panel to the Ground Rod. But he said the Inspector insisted on the Grounding Conductor to be landed in the Meter Can.
 
He took a #6 Bare ground wire from the Ground terminal on the Meter to (2) driven Ground Rods. (Existing Residence Upgrade).The only conductors he had going from the Meter to the 200a Main Breaker 3r Panel located next to the meter was (2) Phase Conductors and a Neutral. The Inspector would not Pass his installation until he installed the Green Bonding Screw from the Neutral in the Service Panel and bonded the Neutral to the Panel Can.
Was he actually required to do this?] Yes he was required to do this

Are you allowed to bond the Neutral in the Meter Can & The 1st Disconnecting Means both?
You must bond in both the meter can and the first service panel or disco.
I mentioned he could have bonded the Neutral to the can with the bonding screw and installed the Grounding Electrode Conductor from the Service Panel to the Ground Rod. But he said the Inspector insisted on the Grounding Conductor to be landed in the Meter Can.[/quote]
Well the inspector is not always correct. In many areas you must run the GEC from the panel and not from the meter
 
He took a #6 Bare ground wire from the Ground terminal on the Meter to (2) driven Ground Rods. (Existing Residence Upgrade).The only conductors he had going from the Meter to the 200a Main Breaker 3r Panel located next to the meter was (2) Phase Conductors and a Neutral. The Inspector would not Pass his installation until he installed the Green Bonding Screw from the Neutral in the Service Panel and bonded the Neutral to the Panel Can.

The main bonding jumper (green bonding screw) must be installed at the service disconnecting means. (250.24(B))

The grounding electrodes can be connected to the grounded conductor at or ahead of the service disconnecting means. (250.24(A))


Are you allowed to bond the Neutral in the Meter Can & The 1st Disconnecting Means both?

Yes, the grounded (neutral) conductor can be used for bonding on the line side of the service. (250.92(B) and 250.142(A))

I mentioned he could have bonded the Neutral to the can with the bonding screw and installed the Grounding Electrode Conductor from the Service Panel to the Ground Rod. But he said the Inspector insisted on the Grounding Conductor to be landed in the Meter Can.

The grounding electrode conductor can terminate at either the meter or the service disconnecting means.

Chris
 
I get scared when we have a man building a service this way. Had the inspector not caught this and passed it we would have had a major disaster waiting to kill someone.
 
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