Neutral and Ground

[Justin Roberts]

Can the neutral and the ground be on the same bus bar?

Yes I got the cut ground wire!

[Christopher Currins]

Yes if located at, as some call, (Main) service panel, the panel with service disconnect.

No if located in (Sub) remote distribution panel.

But neutral and ground cannot terminate at same screw, like one in pic.

[Justin Roberts]

OK Thanks Chris


That was the "Main" and I did see that the "Sub" had to different bus bars.

[Christopher Currins]

Originally Posted by jroberts1

OK Thanks Chris


That was the "Main" and I did see that the "Sub" had to different bus bars.

In the Sub the neutrals must be isolated from the panel and separate from the grounds.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

Some panel manufactures' instructions may tell you different.

[Christopher Currins]

Originally Posted by jbraun

Some panel manufactures' instructions may tell you different.

From what?

[Dale Duffy]

Originally Posted by jbraun

Some panel manufactures' instructions may tell you different.

You better get that CMI out of your name James, its a requirement to know what your talking about to use those initials----

[Linas Dapkus]

Originally Posted by dduffy

You better get that CMI out of your name James, its a requirement to know what your talking about to use those initials----

Sad but true

[Robert Meier]

Something seems strange to me. Typically a neutral bus is not bolted directly to the enclosure as this one appears to be. There is some separation from the enclosure, usually plastic behind it, so that it may be used in a subpanel without being bonded to the enclosure. Maybe I'm just being fooled by the photo.

[John Gromkoski]

Originally Posted by Robert Meier

Something seems strange to me. Typically a neutral bus is not bolted directly to the enclosure as this one appears to be. There is some separation from the enclosure, usually plastic behind it, so that it may be used in a subpanel without being bonded to the enclosure. Maybe I'm just being fooled by the photo.

If it's the main panel whats the difference?

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by jgromkoski

If it's the main panel whats the difference?

Again I'm just speculating from the photo but if that is indeed only an equipment grounding bus, just bolted directly to the enclosure, then the neutral conductors cannot be terminated on it. The enclosure cannot be used to carry the neutral current back to the service neutral.

200.2 General.
(B) Continuity. The continuity of a grounded conductor shall not depend on a connection to a metallic enclosure, raceway, or cable armor.

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

Not In Canada Neutral and Ground are isolalated to their own buss.
And the neutral is only fastedend to the Primary panel ,not in any other panels

[James E. Braun, CMI]

Originally Posted by dduffy

You better get that CMI out of your name James, its a requirement to know what your talking about to use those initials----

Have you ever installed an electrical panel? Some electrical panels are even marked inside ground or neutral.