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Posted by Scott on June 25, 2006, 11:58 am
Hello guys, in my breaker box the neutral wires and ground wires are
together in the same bus. In other words, two wires under same screw in bus
(one neutral / one ground) is this correct?
TIA,
Tim
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Posted by CJT on June 25, 2006, 11:45 am
Scott wrote:
> Hello guys, in my breaker box the neutral wires and ground wires are
> together in the same bus. In other words, two wires under same screw in bus
> (one neutral / one ground) is this correct?
>
> TIA,
>
> Tim
>
>
Probably.
--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.
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Posted by RBM on June 25, 2006, 12:28 pm
The panel should be marked for what it accepts, but generally two ground
wires under one screw is OK, but not two neutrals or combinations
> Scott wrote:
>
>> Hello guys, in my breaker box the neutral wires and ground wires are
>> together in the same bus. In other words, two wires under same screw in
>> bus
>> (one neutral / one ground) is this correct?
>>
>> TIA,
>>
>> Tim
>>
>>
> Probably.
>
> --
> The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
> minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.
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Posted by Randy Cox on June 26, 2006, 12:24 am
> Hello guys, in my breaker box the neutral wires and ground wires are
> together in the same bus. In other words, two wires under same screw in
> bus
> (one neutral / one ground) is this correct?
>
> TIA,
>
> Tim
>
Technically the terminals are probably only approved for one wire each.
Practically speaking jurisdictions in Texas when I was a contractor years
ago, allowed three #12 wires under one screw. A #6 wire which is what a lot
of these are approved for will be several smaller wires twisted together.
Two or three # 12 wires shouldn't be much different but they may not be
approved.
As for a ground and a neutral being on the same bar, the ground must be
bonded to the neutral at the first means of disconnect. If your breaker box
contains the first main breaker disconnect for your system, then it is okay
for them to be together. Leave them alone; they are bonding with each other
:-)
If you have a main outside and your breaker panel is inside, that might be a
problem. If your panel is a secondary panel or sub-panel, then the grounds
should have a separate bar from the neutral. The bonding between the
neutral and the grounds should only be at one place and that place should be
at the first means of disconnect. If it were otherwise, under a fault
situation, surge current from the fault would divide proportionately to the
resistances of the multiple paths back to ground. That would put fault
currents in your neutrals.
There are other issues such as rf currents, induction, and noise that could
interfere with electronic circuitry through out your working system in case
of a fault.
In reality, it happens all the time, and it usually isn't a big deal. It is
not optimal, and it could be a serious problem in certain circumstances.
Randy R. Cox
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Posted by Thomas D. Horne, FF EMT on June 26, 2006, 1:19 pm
Scott wrote:
> Hello guys, in my breaker box the neutral wires and ground wires are
> together in the same bus. In other words, two wires under same screw in bus
> (one neutral / one ground) is this correct?
>
> TIA,
>
> Tim
>
>
In the US the answer is no. YMMV Each current carrying conductor,
including the neutral; must terminate in it's own terminal. Most panels
are listed for multiple, usually two, Equipment Grounding Conductors in
a single terminal.
--
Tom Horne
Well we aren't no thin blue heroes and yet we aren't no blackguards to.
We're just working men and woman most remarkable like you.
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