Thread: Is a bare neutral ok here?

Service panel, 1989 home. Looks like metal conduit from meter can on the left. At the weatherhead, the neutral was insulated, so there's a splice at the meter?

Is a bare neutral ok here?

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Originally Posted by John Kogel

At the weatherhead, the neutral was insulated, so there's a splice at the meter?

The neutral coming out the top of the weatherhead is typically insulated, it ties to the neutral/ground from the overhead service drop conductors, it then lands on the neutral/ground connection at the meter, grounding the meter can.

From there, the neutral/ground can run to the service equipment as either bare or insulated, so ...

Is a bare neutral ok here?

Given the above scenario, yes, the neutral/ground is allowed to be bare to the service equipment.

Thanks, Jerry. I have another question coming shortly.

Regarding the bare/insulated splice: service conductors can be spliced w/certain conditions but not within a raceway w/o an accessible cover.

Funny how code allows the grounded/neutral conductor to be run thru a metallic raceway without bonding both ends, yet the GEC cannot.
Under a major fault, that grounded conductor would carry many more amps than say, a GEC to a few earthing rods. Just a rambling thought.
Bob Smit, County EI