What's wrong with this picture (main bonding jumper)

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fandi

Senior Member
Location
Los Angeles
Hello All,
This is a 100A panel. The source (black/red wire) is 120V from PV inverter (no 208V, 240V). The first thing I notice is usually white is neutral, black is hot but it's opposite in the case. It's still operational without problems.
Is the main bonding jumper (between neutral and EGC wires) missing?
Thanks. Main bonding jumper.jpg
 

jaggedben

Senior Member
Location
Northern California
Occupation
Solar and Energy Storage Installer
The neutral feeding the panel should be white, not red. (It's not opposite, just the neutral is colored wrong.)

The neutral should not be bonded to ground in this panel, from what I can tell. So otherwise there's nothing wrong with the way the panel is wired, conceptually. However, I see some code violations around the edges of the picture concerning wiring that is supposed to be in a raceway and is not, missing connectors, etc.

If this is a stand-alone PV inverter supplied system with no connection to a service, then the neutral should be bonded at the disconnecting means for the inverter. (Is that the enclosure barely visible to the right?)

If the PV inverter is connected to a service, whether or not it is capable of operating in a stand-alone mode, then almost certainly the neutral should be bonded only at the service disconnecting means.

It seems like there's some unnecessary ground wires, which I would guess are running to grounding electrodes that probably are either not necessary or should be connected somewhere else.
Altogether it does not look like a professional job.
 

fandi

Senior Member
Location
Los Angeles
The neutral feeding the panel should be white, not red. (It's not opposite, just the neutral is colored wrong.)

The neutral should not be bonded to ground in this panel, from what I can tell. So otherwise there's nothing wrong with the way the panel is wired, conceptually. However, I see some code violations around the edges of the picture concerning wiring that is supposed to be in a raceway and is not, missing connectors, etc.

If this is a stand-alone PV inverter supplied system with no connection to a service, then the neutral should be bonded at the disconnecting means for the inverter. (Is that the enclosure barely visible to the right?)

If the PV inverter is connected to a service, whether or not it is capable of operating in a stand-alone mode, then almost certainly the neutral should be bonded only at the service disconnecting means.

It seems like there's some unnecessary ground wires, which I would guess are running to grounding electrodes that probably are either not necessary or should be connected somewhere else.
Altogether it does not look like a professional job.
Thank you Sir. It's not a professional job. Lol. This is a standalone PV system with NO connection to the grid. Yes, the disconnect is on the right of this panel. Is there any way I can bond the neutral (white color) to the lower bar at this 100A panel instead of at the disconnect switch? Yes, one of the #8 green wire will connect to the power company's bare wire ahead of the house's meter/panel.
 
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fandi

Senior Member
Location
Los Angeles
Why would you want to bond the neutral in the panel and not the disconnect?
You're right. Section 250.36(E) calls out for the first disconnecting means. But before I do the bonding, I will check with the inverter manufacturer/manual in case they somehow bond their neutral output with their ground (the AIMS inverter has three outputs clearly stated: line, neutral and ground).
 
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