Subpanel in a once separate structure is now attached.

Status
Not open for further replies.
Z

ZacWolf

Member
When I bought my home there was a separate structure with a subpanel. The panel supply had no EGC, the subpanel had it's own grounding rod, and the neutral bar was bonded to the ground bar.

I have now extended the walls of that once seperate structure to form an *attached* garage.

So I know I need to pull a new supply with an EGC, and unbound the neutral from the ground bar.

Question is, do I keep the ground rod already installed at the subpanel connected to the unbound ground bar in the subpanel?

It is my understanding that since the subpanel is no longer in a separate structure it doesn't *require* a ground rod of its own but is their a reason I wouldn't want to leave it connected?

THANKS!
 
d0nut said:
As long as you pull the EGC to bond the two ground bars, the extra ground rod won't hurt a thing.
Click to expand...
I agree, a structure can be naturally grounded at many points, from gas pipes, water pipes, concrete, steel buildings, ECT. The only thing that is important is the system neutral is only bonded to all the metal and conductive parts of the house likely to become energized at one point only. And all parts that can fault have an effective path back to that one point. Don't believe anything I say, I'm a student of the code and not a licensed electrician.
 
Sea Nile said:
I agree, a structure can be naturally grounded at many points, from gas pipes, water pipes, concrete, steel buildings, ECT. The only thing that is important is the system neutral is only bonded to all the metal and conductive parts of the house likely to become energized at one point only. And all parts that can fault have an effective path back to that one point. Don't believe anything I say, I'm a student of the code and not a licensed electrician.
Click to expand...
But, you are right.
 
I've been shocked by old garage door openers on a number of occasions.

Sent from my BE2028 using Tapatalk
 
Sea Nile said:
I agree, a structure can be naturally grounded at many points, from gas pipes, water pipes, concrete, steel buildings, ECT. The only thing that is important is the system neutral is only bonded to all the metal and conductive parts of the house likely to become energized at one point only. And all parts that can fault have an effective path back to that one point. Don't believe anything I say, I'm a student of the code and not a licensed electrician.
Click to expand...
Great thanks. I had heard there were some 2020 changes so wanted to make sure my understanding was correct. Thanks!
 
DrSparks said:
I've been shocked by old garage door openers on a number of occasions.

Sent from my BE2028 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Yeah I got knocked across the garage when the dryer heating element had shorted and I touched the dryer as my rib touched the brass pressure release valve on the (gas) hot water heater! That's when I was like, yeah I don't think that's wired correctly.
 
DrSparks said:
I've been shocked by old garage door openers on a number of occasions.
Click to expand...
That almost happened to me. There were two receptical outlets above my garage door opener. One was obviously broken (cracked plastic) and looked like it was just abandoned when someone put in another box next to it instead of just replacing the duplex. It bothered me seeing it so I decided to see if it was hot, It wasn't hot, but while I was up there, I decided to test the other outlet to see if my meter was working properly. That led me to another issue. Checking for voltage on both receptical outlets, I was confused about getting odd voltage between the garage door opener chassis and the neutral/hot/ground of the receptacle. It was floating somehwere arounf 30-50 volts to the chassis, I can't remember exactly but the garage door opener was energized. I was able to fix it, but can't remember now what I did.

Another time I took a short cut and could have killed myself if I had not treated the conductors as if they were hot. Same garage mentioned above. The previous owners had a camera/light mounted above the garage when I was considering buying it. When they moved out, they took their camera and replaced it with a blank plate.

I bought a new light fixture and I thought I had turned off the correct breaker but I didn't check it with the tester. Instead, I decided I would take a short cut. I squinted my eyes turned my head, and tapped the hot to the ground to test for voltage. Nothing happened so I thought I got the right breaker. Well turns out the ground wire wasn't connected to anything. It was part of the same messed up circuit that the garage door opener was on. I thought it was logical that it would have been on the circuit that all the other exterior lights were on.

I wired up the new fixture, but I treated each wire like it was hot (but I thought it was safe), and wired it without touching them with my skin.
I almost had a heart attack, (figuratively) when I screwed in a light bulb and it turned on in my hand.

Never again! I swore to myself, will I ever not test it with a meter first.
 
From the nature of the posts and the lack of information in your profile as to your association to the electrical industry I am considering this a DIY post and as such a violation of Forum rules (below).
I am closing the thread pending clarification


This site is designed for:

  • Contractors
  • Electricians
  • Engineers
  • Inspectors
  • Instructors
  • Other electrically related individuals
* This NEC® Forum is for those in the electrical and related industries. Questions of a "How-To" nature by persons not involved in the electrical industry will be removed without notice.

Knowledge and the practical application of the National Electrical Code is an essential part of all electrical installations. If it's important for you to understand the National Electrical Code, then look no further.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top