wilber1959
Member
I have a service panel that the grounds and neutrals are on the same bar. is it a code requirment they be seperated? the house was built in the 1940s.
Thank You,
Dan
Thank You,
Dan
Grounds and neutrals
- Thread starter wilber1959
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
- Occupation
- Service Manager
Dan, welcome to the forum. 
It is still acceptable for the grounds and neutrals to be landed on the same bar.
Related items: If a grounding bar is listed for two conductors under a screw, then it is acceptable; otherwise, current NEC requires one conductor per terminal.
Neutral conductors should have their own screw apiece, unless the terminal is listed for two parallel conductors (two large neutrals connected on both ends for, say, a 400A service with two sets of aluminum 250 kcmil connected in parallel to achieve 400A). 99% of the time, the branch circuit neutrals should be landed under their own terminal. (I say 99% because I can't say I've seen everything. )
So if you see a grounding conductor (EGC) landed under the same screw as a neutral, then you should recommend remedying that, IMO.
It is still acceptable for the grounds and neutrals to be landed on the same bar.
Related items: If a grounding bar is listed for two conductors under a screw, then it is acceptable; otherwise, current NEC requires one conductor per terminal.
Neutral conductors should have their own screw apiece, unless the terminal is listed for two parallel conductors (two large neutrals connected on both ends for, say, a 400A service with two sets of aluminum 250 kcmil connected in parallel to achieve 400A). 99% of the time, the branch circuit neutrals should be landed under their own terminal. (I say 99% because I can't say I've seen everything.
)So if you see a grounding conductor (EGC) landed under the same screw as a neutral, then you should recommend remedying that, IMO.
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
wilber1959 said:
On a service panel they can be on the same bar, just not the same screw.
- Status