Power Pedestal Connections

To "CURE" missing earth ground connection complaints too many times a "bootstrap ground" is utilized connecting receptacle neutral to receptacle earth ground. This is "illegal" and this is hazardous.

A fast way to determine if this jumper wire is in there rather than a true earth ground connection...

With an AC voltmeter measure line (hot) to neutral. Then measure hot to earth ground.

The two readings must not be identical.

From the school of hard knocks

Here's what I found online at.....

https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/1706/is-it-ok-to-have-mixed-grounds-and-neutrals-on-bars-in-a-breaker-box

This is a response to a question so the person who answers posts the code and then his comments on what the code means.


National Electrical Code 2014

Article 250 Grounding and Bonding

II. System Grounding

250.24 Grounding Service-Supplied Alternating-Current Systems.
(A) System Grounding Connections. A premises wiring system supplied by a grounded ac service shall have a grounding electrode conductor connected to the grounded service conductor, at each service, in accordance with 250.24(A)(1) through (A)(5).

(1) General. The grounding electrode conductor connection shall be made at any accessible point from the load end of the overhead service conductors, service drop, underground service conductors, or service lateral to and including the terminal or bus to which the grounded service conductor is connected at the service disconnecting means.

This means that the grounded (neutral) from the service must be connected to ground, and that the connection can be made by bonding the neutral bus bar to the grounding electrode.

(5) Load-Side Grounding Connections. A grounded conductor shall not be connected to normally non–current carrying metal parts of equipment, to equipment grounding conductor(s), or be reconnected to ground on the load side of the service disconnecting means except as otherwise permitted in this article.

This means that the grounded (neutral) conductors should only be grounded at the main service disconnnect.

If the main service panel happens to be the same place that the grounded (neutral) conductor is bonded to the grounding electrode, then there is no problem mixing grounds and neutrals on the same bus bar (as long as there is an appropriate number of conductors terminated under each lug). If the two bus bars are not connected; as would be the case anywhere other than the main disconnect (exceptions exist), then you cannot mix them.



Click For Full-Size Image.

Notice how the grounded, and grounding bus bars are connected in the main service panel. This means that; electrically speaking, they can be considered a single bus bar. Which means that both grounded (neutral), and equipment grounding conductors can be terminated on either bus bar.

In the subpanel, the bus bars are kept separate. So grounded (neutral), and equipment grounding conductors cannot be mixed.

The wiring issue is not a matter of pride, neatness or whatever... it's a safety issue. :)

At the service panel (ONLY AT THE SERVICE PANEL - HUGELY IMPORTANT) the neutral bus bar is bonded to ground. So you should see the ground lead and neutral tied to the same bus (the neutral bus bar). Based on your description it sounds like your panels are wired correctly, but it just doesn't "look right" based on how the other panel is made up. I can completely understand how this can seem incorrect from a common sense perspective.

However, any sub-panel after the primary service from there MUST have an isolated neutral. DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT bond neutral to ground in a sub-panel.

Why is this? When you tie neutral to earth ground in a subpanel, you're created a potential parallel path for current to return via earth (ground) - so in the event of a fault, your ground conductor has assumed the role of the return path for current and now everything that you've grounded (sub-panel, appliances, metal fixtures, etc) to that sub-panel is now hot.

All it takes is a preexisting fault, one rainstorm, or wet feet, whatever... and you touching something energized - and you're doing the 60 cycle shuffle.

ground and neutral are common.

To the best of my knowledge ground and neutral are always common as they are connected to the same bar in the main panel - I don't know of any other way of doing it.

NEC code in SD requires bonded ground in pedestals, which means ground and neutral are common. This leads to a false open ground signal in surge protectors and auto formers.
A simple test with an ohmmeter verifies continuity between ground, neutral, earth.
Open ground signals from surge protectors should certainly be investigated, however, are likely a mis reading of bonded systems.

We are sold on our ISB Solar Basic, and have to use it in the US, too.
Our neighbors in Mexico also like theirs.
Our dentist in Mexico also has all of her equipment hooked into one.

Hi,

One of our visitors to Mexico did find a solid state device that was rock solid at 118 volts. I don't remember the name unfortunately.

I do love my sola basic and use it often.

briansue wrote:
We bought one of the ISB Solar Basic Voltage Regulators a few years ago in Mexico. I find I have to use ours in the US as well. I know there have been any number of products mentioned over the years on this forum but this is the only one I have ever seen which can correct both high and low voltage.