Main Panel Ground Bar

[spam4us]

See pics. (square D panel, main house panel, not a sub-panel)

I believe where the pencil is pointing is a neutral/ground bar. It appears to be directly attached to the panel but it doesn't appear to be attached to the neutral/ground near the main breaker.

Is this bar grounded to the main panel?
Can I use it to attach my neutral and ground wires to? I am running out of places on the neutral/ground near the main breaker.

I have one of these bars on each side of the main bus bar.

Thanks

 

[Mustang51js]

It's a ground bar only,you can remove some of the grounds on the neutral bar and put them on there so you have extra room for neutrals

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Need more info. Is this panel 3 or 4 wire? Is that panel at your meter or do u have a disconnect at your meter and this panel is somewhere else?

Take an overall pic of the panel with the cover obviously removed.

 

[spam4us]

Thanks for the replies so far. I'm not near the panel to take a picture right now.

The panel is 3 wire. 2 hot, 1 neutral. It is located on my inside block wall. The feeder cable goes from the panel thru the block wall directly into the back of electric meter housing. There is no disconnect.

Hope this gives enough info.


Thanks again

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Ok, good. Yes that was the info needed.

The main service panel is the ONLY place(old installs excluded) where neutrals and grounds land on the same bar(s). So your neutral bar and subsequently your ground bars should all be bonded. There should be a bonding strap that connects/bonds the neutral bar(s) to the panel enclosure.

U can use all the bars for neutrals and EGCs/grounds.

Remember, only 1 neutral per hole. But your panel may be listed for 2 (or more) EGCs per hole.

I dont think mustang read your OP very closely.

 

[Mustang51js]

Ok how's this, is there a green screw on the neutral bar that bonds the bar to the back of the panel. Even if there is I wouldn't put the neutrals on the bar to the side in case you ever want to do a whole house transfer switch.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Ok how's this, is there a green screw on the neutral bar that bonds the bar to the back of the panel. Even if there is I wouldn't put the neutrals on the bar to the side in case you ever want to do a whole house transfer switch.

IF there isnt one then its wrong. This is the main panel. The neutral bar SHOULD be bonded!!

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I see grounds and neutrals under the same screw. This is not allowed. I think a Square D allows two grounds, or one neutral, under a screw. That is the same panel I have, with the "bleacher seating" neutral/grounds on it. I had to combine a number of grounds, and separate neutrals, to get additional holes to add circuits.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I see grounds and neutrals under the same screw. This is not allowed. I think a Square D allows two grounds, or one neutral, under a screw. That is the same panel I have, with the "bleacher seating" neutral/grounds on it. I had to combine a number of grounds, and separate neutrals, to get additional holes to add circuits.

I just had to fix a panel on an emergency service call this weekend that had that issue. the neutrals and grounds on some circuits intermittantly floated. It was a 12spc GTE sylvania panel so it was a bare to cleanup. Had to basically label and remove every wire and then do a fresh install. Took a couple hours cause i had little room to work with.

The homeowner was lucky we took care of it this weekend cause the main breaker was in the beggining stages of melting and grenading...

 

[spam4us]

WOW, what a wealth on information here. Thanks everyone.

Yes, there is a green screw on the neutral bar.

Just so I have this straight, I should only have on neutral under one screw but I can have 2 grounds under one screw. It that correct?

Why shouldn't there be 2 neutrals under one screw? They are on the same bar so shouldn't they act as one neutral?

Could there also be a neutral and ground under one screw? Again, they are on the same bar.

Last....So I should only connect grounds to the bar I pointed to with the pencil in my 1st post?? or can I also connect neutral on that bar?

Thanks again wyliesdiesels, Charles (in GA), Mustang51js, for your help.

 

[Mustang51js]

Reason for one neutral under a screw is because if you remove a neutral without shutting power off to that circuit you will back feed power on the nuetral when it's disconnected. You also could blow out electronics if that happens. I personally would keep the neutrals on the main nuetral bar and then put any new grounds on the ground bar off to the side. Yes you could put the neutral on the side bar since it's all bonded.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

WOW, what a wealth on information here. Thanks everyone.

Yes, there is a green screw on the neutral bar.

Just so I have this straight, I should only have on neutral under one screw but I can have 2 grounds under one screw. It that correct?

Why shouldn't there be 2 neutrals under one screw? They are on the same bar so shouldn't they act as one neutral?

Could there also be a neutral and ground under one screw? Again, they are on the same bar.

Last....So I should only connect grounds to the bar I pointed to with the pencil in my 1st post?? or can I also connect neutral on that bar?

Thanks again wyliesdiesels, Charles (in GA), Mustang51js, for your help.

Since theyre bonded, u can use either bar for neutrals and grounds.

Yes only 1 neutral per hole with NOTHING else.

Grounds may be able to be doubled depending on panel listing.

 

[dw1]

if you terminate neutrals on your seconday ground bar, you could always run a short piece of # 6 from the main ground bar to the seconday one, I would not rely on the screws tightened to the panel for my sole neutral connection, even though it is all bonded together (just my opinion) but I have added ground bars just like your situation and do just this. This way no problems down the road