Can I add a new ground bar on relocated panel?

toddmanqa · 08-04-2010, 01:30 PM

In preparation for a basement finishing, I had my licensed electrician move my panel away from the service entrance. To meet code (distance from entrance to shutoff), he had to install a main shutoff outside, then run the cable to my relocated box (and which also has it's own main shutoff).

Last night, when preparing to run two new circuits, I found that he ran all of the grounds in the relocated box to a single grounding bar on the left. I want to add circuits on the right, and don't want to run the wires all the way down, over, up to the left grounding bar.

Can I add a new grounding bar on the right? There are pre-drilled holes for it. Do I need to connect to the existng ground bar, or will the screws attached to the metal case accomplish that?

Thanks,
toddmanqa

McSteve · 08-04-2010, 01:51 PM

You can indeed add a second ground bar. I did the same thing with my garage sub-panel, and for the same reason. Home Depot or whatever should carry an add-on ground bar for your panel, if it's a fairly recent or common one.

Remember that your panel is now a sub-panel, so make sure you keep your neutral and ground wires on their own separate bars.

Proby · 08-04-2010, 01:53 PM

May I ask why you don't want to run the wires to the left side ground bar?

toddmanqa · 08-04-2010, 02:41 PM

In regards to why I don't just run to the existing ground bar, it's getting a little crowded there and I'll be saving wire by staying on the same side of the box that the wires are coming into.

Thanks for the responses.

toddmanqa

toddmanqa · 08-04-2010, 08:57 PM

Went to Lowes and found the necessary square d home grounding bar. The instructions called for me to drill two holes with a #26 drill bit to attain 0.147 in (3.7 mm) in diameter. I found a 9/64" Dewalt Cobalt Drill bit. It was only 3.6 mm in diamter, but the screws went right in nice and tight.

Turned power back on after adding the circuits and the two new circuits checked out OK with the GFCI tester.

Proby · 08-04-2010, 09:14 PM

Good, glad it worked.

Out of curiosity, why did you drill holes? You mentioned earlier that your panel had pre-drilled holes.