New sub panel

[Mike Honcho]

Finally, with much help from this board, i hooked up my new subpanel. Any comments good/bad?

Btw, I left the green screw out as required from the sub, but there is still continiuity between the ground bar and the nuetral bar. Now I assume thats because they are connected at the main, so I dont understand the reasoning for them not to be bonded in the panel. Can someone educate me on this? Thanks.

 

[teamextreme]

You are correct, you are getting continuity because they are connected back at the main. The reason for keeping them separate is because they perform 2 different functions. The neutral carries current back to the main panel. The ground is there for safety reasons to allow breakers to trip in the event of hot wire touching any metal parts of equipment. If the ground and neutral are connected in the sub panel, you have effectively changed your ground wire into a current carrying conductor because some of the current will flow through the neutral and some through the ground.

 

[Mustang51js]

If the neutral happens to come loose going to sub panel and it was bonded to ground in sub panel it would back feed all the neutrals in the sub panel and into the ground

 

[Orionrising]

you need to add a ground bar to it

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Is the feeder new? I only see 3 wires...should be 4 unless it was existing.

If existing then technicaly it should be upgraded to 4-wire since u put in a new subpanel.

Pre2008 code allowed 3-wire feeders!

If 3-wire feeder then the neutral bar SHOULD be bonded to panel with green screw!

EDIT: I looked at the wrong picture. Thought the panel on the right was the sub. Thats what i get for skimming these threads when i have little time....

 

[Mike Honcho]

There's 4, red, black, white and green

 

[Bmwsyc]

You are correct, you are getting continuity because they are connected back at the main. The reason for keeping them separate is because they perform 2 different functions. The neutral carries current back to the main panel. The ground is there for safety reasons to allow breakers to trip in the event of hot wire touching any metal parts of equipment. If the ground and neutral are connected in the sub panel, you have effectively changed your ground wire into a current carrying conductor because some of the current will flow through the neutral and some through the ground.

Spot on!

 

[Aceman]

Panel looks good. Time to add some branch circuits!

 

[sublimate]

There's 4, red, black, white and green

I believe he means the supply feeders into your main panel.
It's not to code if there's only 3, and you may be required to bring it up to code since you added that subpanel.

Also, is you subpanel in a detached building? If so, did you add ground rods? I don't see any hooked up to the subpanel.

 

[Mike Honcho]

Panel looks good. Time to add some branch circuits!

thanks!

 

[Mike Honcho]

I believe he means the supply feeders into your main panel.
It's not to code if there's only 3, and you may be required to bring it up to code since you added that subpanel.

Also, is you subpanel in a detached building? If so, did you add ground rods? I don't see any hooked up to the subpanel.

i have the ground rods installed, my garage is considered attached, since i have a breezeway, but they are there in case the inspector decides i should have them.

 

[Norcal]

you need to add a ground bar to it

Chiming in a bit late but the ground bar is already there.

To the OP, nice touch on keeping both panels the same make/type.

 

[ishiboo]

To the OP, nice touch on keeping both panels the same make/type.

Lol.

 

[Mike Honcho]

Chiming in a bit late but the ground bar is already there.

To the OP, nice touch on keeping both panels the same make/type.

Thanks, I have gotten some good and much needed advice from this place.

 

[Mike Honcho]

Is the feeder new? I only see 3 wires...should be 4 unless it was existing.

If existing then technicaly it should be upgraded to 4-wire since u put in a new subpanel.

Pre2008 code allowed 3-wire feeders!

If 3-wire feeder then the neutral bar SHOULD be bonded to panel with green screw!

can you elaborate please?

 

[Banjorear]

Is the feeder new? I only see 3 wires...should be 4 unless it was existing.

If existing then technicaly it should be upgraded to 4-wire since u put in a new subpanel.

Pre2008 code allowed 3-wire feeders!

If 3-wire feeder then the neutral bar SHOULD be bonded to panel with green screw!

Not to highjack, but I'll have this same scenario. I'm going to re-route a 50 amp dedicated circuit for a hot tub into my garage using a 8 space sub-panel.

I know for a fact the hot tub wiring isn't four wire, it's three since I cut it when I trashed the hot tub.

So I'll need to do this to my panel.

 

[ishiboo]

can you elaborate please?

You did everything correct. I think he cannot see the green wire due to color blindness or something. You do have a four-wire feed, you removed the jumper between the neutral/ground busses... all is well :thumb up:

EDIT: Sorry, actually now that I look at it I think he might be referring to the main panel and how it was installed, NOT the sub you just did. It is difficult to see a ground leave the panel to go to rods, but it may be there.

 

[Mike Honcho]

You did everything correct. I think he cannot see the green wire due to color blindness or something. You do have a four-wire feed, you removed the jumper between the neutral/ground busses... all is well :thumb up:

EDIT: Sorry, actually now that I look at it I think he might be referring to the main panel and how it was installed, NOT the sub you just did. It is difficult to see a ground leave the panel to go to rods, but it may be there.

it is there in the main, on the right hand side theres a 2 one for the water pipes, and one for the ground rods, yes they are hard to see. It actually made me wonder if one should have gone to the smaller spot right next to the service entrance neutral.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

to everyone: I looked at the wrong picture. Sorry, I thought the one on the right was the sub. Your subpanel has a 4-wire feed. You did it correctly....

There's 4, red, black, white and green

I looked at the wrong pic

I believe he means the supply feeders into your main panel.
It's not to code if there's only 3, and you may be required to bring it up to code since you added that subpanel.

Also, is you subpanel in a detached building? If so, did you add ground rods? I don't see any hooked up to the subpanel.

Nope i didnt mean the feeders into the main. The main should ONLY have 3-wires....I looked at the wrong pic....

i have the ground rods installed, my garage is considered attached, since i have a breezeway, but they are there in case the inspector decides i should have them.

Ground rods wouldnt have been needed since its attached but i like your logical thinking in that the inspector or local amendments may consider it detached....

can you elaborate please?

I looked at the wrong pic....sorry...

Not to highjack, but I'll have this same scenario. I'm going to re-route a 50 amp dedicated circuit for a hot tub into my garage using a 8 space sub-panel.

I know for a fact the hot tub wiring isn't four wire, it's three since I cut it when I trashed the hot tub.

So I'll need to do this to my panel.

What kind of wire feeds the hot tub? Bundled cable such as Romex, loose THHN or ? If the wire feeding it is loose wire in conduit then u can add a ground wire and still be code comliant...

You did everything correct. I think he cannot see the green wire due to color blindness or something. You do have a four-wire feed, you removed the jumper between the neutral/ground busses... all is well :thumb up:

EDIT: Sorry, actually now that I look at it I think he might be referring to the main panel and how it was installed, NOT the sub you just did. It is difficult to see a ground leave the panel to go to rods, but it may be there.

Nope Im not color blind. I was on my phone and was looking at the wrong pic- the pic of the main panel. I can see the green wire just fine. Also being in a hurry doesnt help either...sorry for the confusion!!

 

[Banjorear]

What kind of wire feeds the hot tub? Bundled cable such as Romex, loose THHN or ? If the wire feeding it is loose wire in conduit then u can add a ground wire and still be code comliant...[/QUOTE]

Not sure what the trade name is, but it's wrapped in a black plastic sheath, but there are coated multi-strand black, red, and white wires inside of the black sheathing.

 

[Mike Honcho]

to everyone: I looked at the wrong picture. Sorry, I thought the one on the right was the sub. Your subpanel has a 4-wire feed. You did it correctly....



I looked at the wrong pic



Nope i didnt mean the feeders into the main. The main should ONLY have 3-wires....I looked at the wrong pic....



Ground rods wouldnt have been needed since its attached but i like your logical thinking in that the inspector or local amendments may consider it detached....



I looked at the wrong pic....sorry...



QUOTE]

no worries, just wanted to make sure i didnt miss anything.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

What kind of wire feeds the hot tub? Bundled cable such as Romex, loose THHN or ? If the wire feeding it is loose wire in conduit then u can add a ground wire and still be code comliant...

Not sure what the trade name is, but it's wrapped in a black plastic sheath, but there are coated multi-strand black, red, and white wires inside of the black sheathing.[/QUOTE]

That would be NM-b such as Romex, which is made by Southwire. to be code compliant u would need to use a new cable or use 4 THHN wires- red black, white and green. By code, additional wire cannot be added to circuit wires that are budnled in an outer jacket....

Out of respect for the OP and to keep things clean, u should start a new thread and we can help you there...

 

[wyliesdiesels]

If u guys want your quotes to work properly, u need to make sure the quote code isnt deleted at the begginning and end of the quote otherwise it gets hacked up!