New electrical service to workshop
- Thread starter Cltman
- Start date
sparky 1971
Well-known member
Looks to me like it's in the tripped position. Turn it to off before going to on.
With a four wire feeder it shouldn't be bonded (it is) and if it's a stand alone building there should be ground rods and I don't see a GEC.
With a four wire feeder it shouldn't be bonded (it is) and if it's a stand alone building there should be ground rods and I don't see a GEC.
Stand alone bldg. There are 2 grounding rods. The inspector and my electrician indicated the bonding was acceptable, this was before power was pulled. I will be contacting my electrician in the morning. Just trying to get some education prior. This is power from electric company service, not from house.
Codyboy
Well-known member
A lot of new breakers come in the "tripped" position. Factory testing ? Idk.
But yeah I think sparky has it right.
Turn Off , then turn On.
It has to reset (off) first.
I have a good story from a customer long ago this happened to. Hahaha.
He thought I performed some voodoo on his main.
Lol
But yeah I think sparky has it right.
Turn Off , then turn On.
It has to reset (off) first.
I have a good story from a customer long ago this happened to. Hahaha.
He thought I performed some voodoo on his main.
Lol
Codyboy
Well-known member
I too am failing to see any conductors that would be for ground rods.
sparky 1971
Well-known member
There are a few things that could potentially be wrong depending on how the panel is fed. Looking at that mess, I wouldn't be referring to the installer as an electrician even if he has a license.
Agreed. Need the full installation details b/c it is either wrong or incomplete.
Yes, but it's a Siemens & you can't see it in the photo.
As it turns out it was operator error (me). Didn't realize how much force it took to reset the main breaker. I've been gone all week, wasn't expecting power to be hooked up for a few more weeks, was surprised they came so quick. So when I got home last night I ran out to do a quick check. Thought I had reset the main, but again after reading much appreciated comments, I tried again this morning using a bit more force to reset the main and it worked. The Ground rods are apparently terminated in the meter box, there are 2 ground rods, this was done by a licensed electrician. Wouldn't they be bonded to the aluminum ground wire coming into the panel in the meter box? I had questioned early on about the neutrals and grounds on same bus bar, but the electrician and inspector said this was acceptable. This is going to be a light use workshop.
One other issue I noted this morning, I was checking 2 3-way switches with my Fluke voltmeter at the light box. When switched to OFF I get 40Vac, ON I get 120Vac. Didn't have time to troubleshoot. Sheetrock guys are showing up early and all power is off. I've worked in electronics (medical equipment service and repair) all my life so I am familiar with up to 220Vac systems. Going to troubleshoot it before I call my electrician (hopefully won't need to), we're kinda on the outs due 'other issues'. Come on guys, chime in and save me some troubleshooting time on the 3-way. All outlets and switches are installed, but no lights yet. After sheetrock and painting 8' Faithsail LED lights are going in.
Again much appreciate all comments and GarageJournal has been a great resource.
One other issue I noted this morning, I was checking 2 3-way switches with my Fluke voltmeter at the light box. When switched to OFF I get 40Vac, ON I get 120Vac. Didn't have time to troubleshoot. Sheetrock guys are showing up early and all power is off. I've worked in electronics (medical equipment service and repair) all my life so I am familiar with up to 220Vac systems. Going to troubleshoot it before I call my electrician (hopefully won't need to), we're kinda on the outs due 'other issues'. Come on guys, chime in and save me some troubleshooting time on the 3-way. All outlets and switches are installed, but no lights yet. After sheetrock and painting 8' Faithsail LED lights are going in.
Again much appreciate all comments and GarageJournal has been a great resource.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
You failed to answer if you have an external disconnect switch or breaker at the meter. We need to know that to answer correctly.
If you do not, bonded is correct.
Curious, why didn't you use a main breaker panel? And as @PCustoms said, you need a hold down, which is about $5 at home depot
Last edited:
Need a pic of this "meter box" and anything else in between it and panel.
My experience has been that POCO'S dont want any other connections in the meter pan because they're trying to eliminate reasons for people to break the seal/pull meter.
Meter pans do have an extra lug where the grounding electrode conductor could terminate. Possibly that is what you have.
If you simply have only a meter pan, then the 4-wire sec was unnecessary.
Need
's.
My experience has been that POCO'S dont want any other connections in the meter pan because they're trying to eliminate reasons for people to break the seal/pull meter.
Meter pans do have an extra lug where the grounding electrode conductor could terminate. Possibly that is what you have.
If you simply have only a meter pan, then the 4-wire sec was unnecessary.
Need
's.
Last edited:
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
OP- before we troubleshoot the 3-way lets have a look at your meter panel and anything between it and the panel you have pictured
JohnX14
Well-known member
That is a BR series 20 circuit main breaker panel. Unless I'm missing something.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I think you are right, my bad. I've never used BR and didn't realize their main wasn't separate
The lugs on the breaker will always be "hot" (unless the meter is pulled, which requires safety gear/steps/knowledge) so this keeps someone from inadvertently removing the "hot" breaker.
Ah, that's what that black plastic piece is for in the pic I posted with the screw!Maybe, maybe not.
Needs a clip
This means that there are only 2 positions in that panel for a main cb?
Or it getting dislodged from the buss stabs b/c of tension on the conductors.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
then the bare ground wire needs to be removed from the neutral bus on each end as you are creating a parallel pathway.
dave*99
Well-known member
It's possible you are picking up capacitively coupled voltage on the "off" conductor. This is common with DMMs due to the high input impedance. There are DMMs that have a LoZ setting to squash this reading. A solenoid tester is another option. Gardner Bender makes this one. Wiggins (now Ideal) is an industry standard but priced higher. A test lamp can also be used.
BurtEggley
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2024
- Messages
- 869
re 40VAC, are any neutrals shared where a neutral could be backfeeding voltage. I have one circuit in this house that was designed that way back in 1979. Essentially in my situation, two circuits each have dedicated hots but share a neutral. When one circuit is off, the resistance back to the box on the neutral causes it to be above ground at a distance from the box. To kill that I have to turn off both breakers. I am told it was common back then. Someday maybe I will have my electrician run a dedicated neutral to the far circuit and separate the two.
It's a very common multi-wire branch circuit (mwbc). Nothing wrong with it. The voltage measured on that neutral at the same point with both cb's on could be the same, lower or higher depending on the current flowing through it.
Nothing is backfeeding. You are measuring the voltage drop in the neutral that is carrying current. The voltage drop is b/c the conductor has internal resistance.
The ground wire has the same resistance but b/c it is carrying only enough current to support the VOM, it's voltage is much lower. Hence you measure a voltage difference between these 2 points that ideally are the same distance from the panel.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Would you just cut it back at the entry point?
You are right, it's a Zinsco II.Nope its Eaton BR, your favorite brand.
Hold down screw is missing