Main panel Bonding and grounding

tulk · 11-24-2012, 10:00 PM

ok...have a question re the ground between the main panel and the disconnect.

300 amp Service grounded to to UFER (Concreate Encased Ground) with #4 AWG solid Copper.

Off the meter base is a 200 amp disconnect (House)and a 125 disconnect (Shop) Both disconnects have the bonding screws installed.

The 200 amp disconnect is fed from the meter 2 hot 1 neutral, all 2/0 CU THHN.

From the 200 Amp House disconnect it feeds through the wall in conduit to 200 amp panel with a 200 amp Main breaker. It is connected right now to the outside disconnect with the three wire 2 hot 1 neutral 2/0 CU THHN. No ground wire in the pipe. The main panel does have the neutral and ground buss bonded.

The 125 Amp disconnect is fed from the meter 2 hot 1 neutral, All 1/0 CU THHN. No panel feed yet.

So my Question is....Should the 200 AMP main panel be un bonded and a ground wire ran to the 200 AMP disconnect outside the house.

I have attached pictures to hopefully visualize the setup. THANKS FOR THE HELP!!!!

k_buz · 11-24-2012, 10:08 PM

Quote:

So my Question is....Should the 200 AMP main panel be un bonded and an ground wire ran to the 200 AMP disconnect outside the house.

Yes. There should be a #6 CU ground between the OS disco and the SUB panel. The bonding screw should be removed in the sub panel. The grounds and neutrals should be separated in the sub as well.

tulk · 11-24-2012, 10:12 PM

That is what I thought. Thanks for the quick reply...Any other problems jump out about the setup? I have been researching it and it will be inspected by an electrician...just trying not to look like a dumbA$$ lol

k_buz · 11-24-2012, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Any other problems jump out about the setup?

That receptacle is upside down.

tulk · 11-24-2012, 10:21 PM

lol Thanks....My brother always has a debate about which way they should go...I am a canadian who moved south. So he always put them up...keeping the family tradition alive I guess.. It is only a temp outlet anyway...our county lets you get a temp service while you work on the house....that will change to GFI later. Panel is in the laundry room.

wirenut1110 · 11-25-2012, 07:33 AM

Good job on having the main breaker on the bottom of a bottom fed panel.

Nothing chaps my arse more than to have the breaker on top of a bottom fed panel and having those conductors sucking up all the gutter space.

zappa · 11-25-2012, 08:44 AM

Nice clean looking install.

tulk · 11-25-2012, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Good job on having the main breaker on the bottom of a bottom fed panel.

I figured they made those things reversible for a reason

Quote:

Nice clean looking install.

Thanks!!

Arcmaster · 11-28-2012, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k_buz

Yes. There should be a #6 CU ground between the OS disco and the SUB panel. The bonding screw should be removed in the sub panel. The grounds and neutrals should be separated in the sub as well.

OK I have a question due to I have this same install in a few weeks,
So the #6 ground wire from the sub panel back to the OS disco should be connected to the the green grounding clamp inside the disco then back to the ground in the meter can? With the bonding screws removed in both the disco and the sub?
The other thing I noticed was there was no grounding bushings, is that due to pvc was used?

Thanks,

k_buz · 11-28-2012, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arcmaster

OK I have a question due to I have this same install in a few weeks,
So the #6 ground wire from the sub panel back to the OS disco should be connected to the the green grounding clamp inside the disco then back to the ground in the meter can?

You would run the #6 ground from the grounding lug in the main disco to the ground bar in the sub panel. In the above picture, there are two neutral bars in the sub panel. The bonding jumper needs to be removed which will leave one bar for the grounds and one bar for the neutrals. You may end up needing to purchase a separate ground bar depending on the panel you install.

With the bonding screws removed in both the disco and the sub?

The bonding screw only gets removed in the sub panel.

The other thing I noticed was there was no grounding bushings, is that due to pvc was used?

PVC cannot become energized, therefore there is no need to bond it.

Thanks,

Answers in red.

tulk · 11-28-2012, 10:55 PM

Got another update for you. The setup was inspected yesterday by the county. They wanted me to run additional #6 grounds from both discos back to the main ground lug in the meter can. Which I did. Also made me drive two ground rods in addition to the UFER ground. He was back today and passed it for the power company to install the meter.

Dave

k_buz · 11-28-2012, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tulk

Got another update for you. The setup was inspected yesterday by the county. They wanted me to run additional #6 grounds from both discos back to the main ground lug in the meter can. Which I did. Also made me drive two ground rods in addition to the UFER ground. He was back today and passed it for the power company to install the meter.

Dave

I'm not sure why they wanted the extra ground from the meter to the disco...the grounded conductor (neutral) would begin and and at the same point.

The odd part about requiring the rods and ufer is that around here, the ufer takes the place of the rods. You still have to bond to water.

tulk · 11-28-2012, 11:19 PM

I felt the same about the extra grounds between the meter and discos. An extra #6 somehow doesn't compare to the 2/0 already bound to the can. Just kept him happy.

Down here in FL the water main and supply to the house is all plastic so rods are the only other way. I thought the UFER was enough by code but again $50 of rods and clamps keeps him happy

11-24-2012, 10:00 PM	#1
tulk Newbie Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 6	Main panel Bonding and grounding ok...have a question re the ground between the main panel and the disconnect. 300 amp Service grounded to to UFER (Concreate Encased Ground) with #4 AWG solid Copper. Off the meter base is a 200 amp disconnect (House)and a 125 disconnect (Shop) Both disconnects have the bonding screws installed. The 200 amp disconnect is fed from the meter 2 hot 1 neutral, all 2/0 CU THHN. From the 200 Amp House disconnect it feeds through the wall in conduit to 200 amp panel with a 200 amp Main breaker. It is connected right now to the outside disconnect with the three wire 2 hot 1 neutral 2/0 CU THHN. No ground wire in the pipe. The main panel does have the neutral and ground buss bonded. The 125 Amp disconnect is fed from the meter 2 hot 1 neutral, All 1/0 CU THHN. No panel feed yet. So my Question is....Should the 200 AMP main panel be un bonded and a ground wire ran to the 200 AMP disconnect outside the house. I have attached pictures to hopefully visualize the setup. THANKS FOR THE HELP!!!! Last edited by tulk; 11-24-2012 at 10:04 PM.

11-24-2012, 10:12 PM	#3
tulk Newbie Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 6	Main panel Bonding and grounding That is what I thought. Thanks for the quick reply...Any other problems jump out about the setup? I have been researching it and it will be inspected by an electrician...just trying not to look like a dumbA$$ lol

11-24-2012, 10:21 PM	#5
tulk Newbie Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 6	Main panel Bonding and grounding lol Thanks....My brother always has a debate about which way they should go...I am a canadian who moved south. So he always put them up...keeping the family tradition alive I guess.. It is only a temp outlet anyway...our county lets you get a temp service while you work on the house....that will change to GFI later. Panel is in the laundry room.

11-25-2012, 08:44 AM	#7
zappa Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Md/Pa Posts: 829	Main panel Bonding and grounding Nice clean looking install.

11-28-2012, 10:55 PM	#11
tulk Newbie Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 6	Main panel Bonding and grounding Got another update for you. The setup was inspected yesterday by the county. They wanted me to run additional #6 grounds from both discos back to the main ground lug in the meter can. Which I did. Also made me drive two ground rods in addition to the UFER ground. He was back today and passed it for the power company to install the meter. Dave

Main panel Bonding and grounding