Panels contain two bars, one for connecting the white grounded conductor (Neutral) and the other for connecting the bare grounding conductor.
In a sub-panel, these two bars cannot be connected but in a main panel they are. The panel case has to be bonded (grounded) too, so depending on how your panel is set up will determine what has to be done.
I will use an example that I'm currently working with. It is a GE Power Mark panel.
This panel comes with the two bars installed and mounted in stand-offs; they are not fastened directly to the case. These two bars are also connected together with a removable link.
To use this as a main panel, I only have to install a screw, the bonding screw, to connect the panel to the ground bar so the case is grounded.
To use this as a sub-panel, I have to remove the link that connects the two bars. One bar will then be connected as the neutral, and the other the ground bar. The panel case is bonded to the ground bar with the bonding screw and all the ground wires have to be connected to this bar.
All the white wires have to be connected to the neutral bar.
Bonding screw ties the nuetral and ground bars together in a panel - in a subpanel you do not tie them together because there should be only one neutral path in the system (in the main panel).
2 grounds rods - I drive them with a hammer drill.
Use a helper if you can to hold the rod still and hope you done have rocks in your soil that are as bad as mine.
Jamie
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