ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area SUBPANEL "BONDING" between Ground and Neutral Issue

Hello all,

Question that I hope someone can help. New home construction. SUBPANEL has Bonding between Neutral and Ground.

Service Panel and SUBPANEL are next to each other (the 2 boxes are about 2 inches apart). I also read this from Taunton, Section 2 "Subpanel wired improperly":
http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuil...ages/h00009.asp

The Main Feeds to SUBPANEL are controlled by GFI breaker in the Service Panel.
The question is that: having read all these NEC code issues and the recommendation is to remove the BONDING between Neutral and Ground.

Can someone shed some light on this topic?

1. If Neutral Wire from Service Panel to SUBAPNEL is never opened , it is NOT a risk to trademens touching the plumbing system, correct?

2. If the Main Feeds to the SUBPANEL are protected by a GFI breaker, is there a need to disconnect the "BONDING between Neutral and Ground"?

3. Also if I understand the NEC code correctly and the Groung problem correctly then even in a normla home with ONLY a SINGLE service panel (NO Subpanel), then an opened Neutral before the service pabel can casue this problem of current flow through EGC. Is this correct?

Thanks in advance.

cnguyen90
Chicago, IL

the grounded conductor floats in the sub panel.
the neutral is not bonded to the grounding conductor in the sub panel.
250.24 (A)(5)& 250.28

why the GFI breaker?
does this sub panel feed a pool or something?

The link didn't work. Some dots got in there. This one should do better.

http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/pages/h00009.asp

well i just spent ten mins reading that link. I maust say some things are comon sence and others are alittle off in my eyes. To start our suppliers of wires have all ready change the color issue 12/ yellow 14/white 10/orange. But to advise someone to sparypaint the wire i dont know how great of an idea that is what if anything in the paint can damage our wires etc. The next big this is i dont know to many ec's that have the time to pigtail every outlet so that it is in parallel. It is a good idea and i always to di if i have more then 2 wires but i dont have the time if its a feed in and out.

I just looked at Mike Holt website:
http://www.mikeholt.com/mojonewsarchive/GB-HTML/HTML/OpenServiceNeutralCausesDangerousTouchVoltageonMetalParts~20030409.htm

1. First DIAGRAM:
Opened neutral between utility and Service Panel: such as Neutral wire eaten by a rodent or downed by bad weather.
This happen to ANY house.

2. Although not shown in Diagram, what I discussed in my post is when Neutral and Ground is BONDED in SUBPANEL, then the ONLY TIME problem can happen is when the Neutral BETWEEN "MAIN" (Service Panel) and "PANEL" (aka SUBPANEL).

How many of you have seen an Opened NAUTRAL between MAIN and SUBPANEL? How does it happen?
Not by rodents in the house I hope?

Thanks guys.

cnguyen90
Chicago