Thread: Main Panel or Subpanel in unit where main disconnect is in basement

In a condominium inspection I did today there is a main electrical disconnect in the basement and an electric panel in the unit with the grounds and neutrals connected. Isn't the panel in the unit a subpanel?

Originally Posted by Melvin Esh

In a condominium inspection I did today there is a main electrical disconnect in the basement and an electric panel in the unit with the grounds and neutrals connected. Isn't the panel in the unit a subpanel?

Based on your description with a separate main disconnect in the basement, the panel inside the condo unit would be a subpanel and would need to wired as a subpanel with the grounds and neutral separated and not connected. Any pics?

A sub in the unit itself would be a normal installation while the service is in an electrical room with the meters.

If, the main disconnect is else where, any panel after that automatically becomes a subpanel. The panel should be fed via 4 wires hot, hot, neutral and ground that being either metal conduit, a green wire, or a bare wire, or the 4th wire bare in SER cable. The neutral bar is left floating.

Any pics to verify?

Originally Posted by Melvin Esh

In a condominium inspection I did today there is a main electrical disconnect in the basement and an electric panel in the unit with the grounds and neutrals connected. Isn't the panel in the unit a subpanel?

Melvin,

Regardless if there is a disconnect in the condo unit's panel (no single 'main' disconnect is required in the condo unit's panel), the "service equipment and service disconnect" is elsewhere at the service equipment of the building, thus the neutral and grounds are bonded together at the service equipment, and the neutral is isolated from ground at all points after the service equipment (which is not even that condo unit main in the basement).

It is extremely nice to have a 'panel main' at the unit's panel, just not required.

Thanks for your feedback. Just needed confirmation, since it is a large condominium and other units are likely to have similiar wiring.
I tried to attach a picture. Am new to this site.
There are other issues as well as misuse of tandem breakers, double tap.

Originally Posted by Melvin Esh

Thanks for your feedback. Just needed confirmation, since it is a large condominium and other units are likely to have similiar wiring.
I tried to attach a picture. Am new to this site.
There are other issues as well as misuse of tandem breakers, double tap.

Welcome!

You can either attach the pics via "upload photos" in the additional options box below the box you are typing in or you can create a free flickr/photo bucket account and link to that.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Melvin,

Regardless if there is a disconnect in the condo unit's panel (no single 'main' disconnect is required in the condo unit's panel)....

Wow! All that and no mention of Submarines ??! Ok, what have you done with the real Jerry ?

Originally Posted by Joe Klampfer

Wow! All that and no mention of Submarines ??! Ok, what have you done with the real Jerry ?

The submarine captain gives the command to load 1 & 2 and hold fire pending what is addressed ... When they ask about bonding neutral to ground and refer to main and subs ... the command is given to fire 1 & 2 and load 3 & 4 ...

Sub's cannot be bonded to ground. The rod through the hull causes leaks.

Originally Posted by Jim Port

Sub's cannot be bonded to ground. The rod through the hull causes leaks.

The connection could be exothermically welded to the hull ... but the GEC would have to be rather long to accommodate much movement of the sub - that tether ... er ... GEC would be a bit of a pain to deal with.