Neutral and ground to same terminal in panelboard.

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190602-2141 EDT

Nickhxc4life:

I have suggested a method to you that will provide a means to find the short. This basically provides a large enough current to the circuit for test purposes, but not so high as to trip the breaker.

Voltages at various points will point you in the direction of the short.

Your description of the circuit on this breaker is very unclear.

There is a good reason to not put two or more wires in one neutral clamping point, but as stated this is not the cause of the problem. As an electrical engineer you should never have considered this as a possible problem. Two wires of the same diameter and material may not cause a poor joint. Two wires of different diameters may not provide good clamping force on the smaller wire.

We need a much better description of the circuit that attached is to this breaker.

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Nickhxc4life said:
I didn’t take photos but look at the second to lowest set screw in this picture. Same thing I have going on. View attachment 23038
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You are an EE. You should know that bar is metal and has continuity. Having the two wires in the same hole is electrically, exactly the same as having them in different holes on the same bar. That is not your problem.
 
I’ve described it as clear as it can be. It’s a single pole breaker. The conductors from that breaker run to a junction box (no receptacle wires are individually wire nutted inside the box). On the breaker the black hot wire is attached. The neutral and ground wires from the branch circuit are connected together to a single screw on the neutral/ground bus.
 
Alright let’s play nice,

I have a feeling that the breaker is not actually tripping, rather it is a breaker that is not resetting...........whether it be from not properly pushing it all the way off first so that it will reset or an internal malfunction (which happens often enough) that is not allowing it to stay latched when flipped to ON.

Could this be the problem?
 
If the breaker only trips when the black wire is attached, then the black is connected to the white and/or ground wire, or other ground somewhere that you can't see.

I would connect a medium-wattage bulb, not a heater, between the breaker and the black wire as a combination current-limiter and indicator, then start moving wires.

Are you 100% sure you followed the right black wire? Sure the box end is not hot? Could be as simple as an over-tightened cable clamp. You're still welcome to call me. :thumbsup:
 
I’m not sure calling you will help anything. Something is going on and I’ve eleminated all factors except the ground and neutral being connected together at the panel. At this point I just won’t reuse the circuit breaker and put in a new one I guess.
 
Nickhxc4life said:
I’m not sure calling you will help anything. Something is going on and I’ve eleminated all factors except the ground and neutral being connected together at the panel. At this point I just won’t reuse the circuit breaker and put in a new one I guess.
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If it makes you feel better, separate the ground and neutral into separate holes. But I'm 100% certain it won't change a thing.
 
Did you tighten the romex connectors to tight onto the wire?

otherwise as a long shot,(seen once before) is there some kind of foreign material or carbon trace leading from breaker to another phase or ground?
 
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