Thanks for the reply.

So what you are saying iwire is that I treat the panel just like a normal "main" service panel. That's what I always intended...

Install my ground rods and tie them to the ground/neutral bus and also install the bonding screw into the panel.

Therefore, my neutrals and grounds ARE bonded in the panel, and I also have ground rods at the panel.

So, exactly as if the service is coming from the pole straight into the house, right?

And this is "OK" for me becuase I do not have any other metallic connection between the building with the disconnect (i.e. pole in my case) and the other building. Therefore, I do not have the possibility for the neutral current to be flowing through the ground wire...becuase there IS no ground wire OR other conducting pathway.

Correct?


Question related to your comment about current being dumped into the ground rods without blowing a breaker...Is this just becuase the resistence is high enough in the ground rods to not blow the breaker typically?

So does that mean that the ground wire would become energized? And then all the 4 wire applicance cases (fridge, stove, dryer, etc. would become HOT to the touch?)

So the neutral, which orignates from the center tap of the transformer, is clearly the "low impedance" return for the current to flow...and with the bonding screw, a fault would cause the breaker to pop becuase the low resistance would create a large current.

Correct?

So what happens if a neutral fails in a standard panel? Seems like the 240 stuff would work fine since they are balanced and the current would flow through the HOTs, but all the single line stuff would not work, as the neutral is not closing the circuit? But the ground rods to the panel, say, are still good...but the resistance is high...so the current is low...and with any load, the voltage will drop.

And that's what causes all the nightmares with neutral faults...some things work fine, some work to some degree, and some not at all.

EDITED: And now with the 4 wire installation of the 240 appliances, the shells of the appliances are tied to the ground, specifically NOT the neutral.

And the purpose of the ground rods is to ensure there is a lower resistance pathway from the ground (and also the bonded neutral) than through, say, me.

So the ground rods are purely a "safety" issue, always hopefully assuring a lower resistance pathway to ground than through a person.

BOTTOM LINE: I will check with my inspector and do what he says. It appears that I fit under this guideline. Wayne, I see you say it is NOT ALLOWED in NC, regardless. I'm in NY, FingerLakes area, so we shall see. Since I don't have any other metallic pathways, and hence (I think) the reasoning for 4 wires and no bonding in the panel (no potential for current flowing through ground), I guess I am no different than if the service came straight to me from the street.
Thanks again folks!


[This message has been edited by brucepirger (edited 11-17-2003).]

[This message has been edited by brucepirger (edited 11-17-2003).]