Hello Matrix
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Let me see if I understand this correctly, I can run the ground wire from the ground rod directly to the neutral bus bar and install it with the green bonding screw.?
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No not quite right....househelper clarified but I'll jump in to try to help. The gec (you call it the ground wire) is ran to any hole you want in either of the two bars that will accept (size wise) the copper gec to the ground rod. This is usually a #6 awg solid copper wire.
The green screw is the bonding means for the metal of the panel to be bonded to the neutral bar. It will have a hole in the neutral bar or the strap that joins the two neutral bars that it goes thru and it threads into the panel metal back bonding the two together.
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I can then have neutral and ground wires on either side of the neutral bus bars but I should try and keep ground on one side for a neater appearance?
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Well I suppose some may think that but the square d panels were never meant for that to be the case. They did this so you could keep both neutrals and grounds oriented to the breakers they serve. So you would have neutrals and grounds connected to each bar on both sides for ease of wiring. You can only put
one neutral under a compression screw in the bar but you can put
2 ground wires of the
same size under one screw.
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If more space is needed (doubt I will need more) I can install the ground bar, run the ground wire from ground rod to the ground bus, then a green wire from the ground bus to the neutral bus (installed with green screw)?
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No... as househelper said the ground bar simply mounts in the panel back in the factory made holes to will be bonded to the neutral bar because the green screw has been installed up on the neutral bar or joining metal strap which is threaded into the metal of the panel back. The green screw bonds the metal of the panel to the neutral bar, so since you mount the ground bar to the metal of the panel it is automatically bonded with the neutral bar via the green screw.
Here is an image of a square d panel and the green screw we are talking about
it may be similar in your panel....nothing is fastened to any thing with it. It simply bonds the neutral bar to the metal of the panel so fault current can get to the service neutral follow it to the transformer (source) so a breaker will trip in a fault condition.
Notice neutrals and grounds on the same bar. Your panel may not be exactly set up like this but you should get the idea... now... with the green screw. They usually tape it in the panel in a package for you to remove and install it in the panel when your using the panel as a main service rated panel.
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