Ground / bonding question - 1971 remodel by home owner

[mark petty]

The main disconnect panel is a cartridge fuse panel; the 2nd panel to the left is for general house circuits. In the 2nd panel the neutrals and grounds are separated but the floating neutral bus is bonded to the box. There is a three cable feed from the main panel to the 2nd panel (2 hots & neutral). The connecting conduit is plastic. At the 2nd panel; there is a ground wire coming in from the ground rod at the lower left side and connected to the ground bus. Questions: (1) Should there be a ground wire from the main to the 2nd panel? (2) Should the green bond screw at the floating neutral bus be removed? (3) Shouldn't the ground wire from the ground rod be at the meter box.
I hope you can help quickly as I've got to get the report out a.s.a.p. I won't be back for an hour or so but will check in as soon as I am back Thanks, Mark

[Jerry Peck]

In the first photo showing the main service disconnect, in the lower left where the neutral (grounded conductor) is into the terminal block, I don't see a bond to the enclosure (looks like an insulation piece is folded behind and to the side of it, insulating it from from the enclosure? What does that red label say? (It's not in focus, so I couldn't read it, but it is big and red, so it is likely important.

From what I see in the ('not service equipment') panel to the left of what I think is the service equipment with the main service disconnect, there is no grounding conductor going to that panel, and no ground path through that PVC conduit.

The green ground screw should be removed from the neutral terminal bar, and a separate grounding conductor needs to be installed from the service equipment on the right to the 'not service equipment' panel on the left.

I see that bare grounding conductor going off to the left and through the side of the left panel - my guess is that is the grounding electrode conductor (or a bonding conductor going to something) - either way, there still needs to be a grounding conductor installed from the service equipment on the right to the panel on the left.


Questions: (1) Should there be a ground wire from the main to the 2nd panel?

Yes, a grounding conductor is required there.


(2) Should the green bond screw at the floating neutral bus be removed?

Yes, that screw needs to be removed.


(3) Shouldn't the ground wire from the ground rod be at the meter box.

If that goes to the grounding electrode system, it is the grounding electrode conductor, and it should be to the service equipment (some electric utilities want it to the meter can, which is also okay, except that it should be visible to the AHJ inspector and it is not visible in the meter can, but whether it is in the meter can or the service equipment doesn't matter.

[mark petty]

Jerry, thanks for catching the lack of bond on the main; I didn't catch it. As for the red label; i tried to blow it up but sill could not read it. I was pretty sure I was right about the other items but just wanted someone like you to confirm. I've got enough to recommend a sparky now. I had the owner with me who had done the work himself and he was politely arguing with me which always throws me off my game. Thanks for your help. Mark

[Jim Port]

The GEC from the rod should go to the service panel, not the distribution panel.

The neutral also needs to be identified in the distribution panel.

[Bill Kriegh]

Probably doesn't matter at this point but all of the the conduit needs a plastic, or equivalent protection, bushing - anything #4 or larger does. A PVC box adapter would be an exception and isn't present here, nor is an integrated box fitting or a listed hub.

To simplify a bit, a grounding electrode conductor can't be installed in an enclosure beyond the load side of the service disconnect enclosure.

Any enclosure beyond the service equipment must have separate neutral and ground conductors that are isolated electrically from each other beyond the service disconnect