Service Entrance Question

[Eric Hyde]

Ok, this is the 3rd time this week that I've seen a setup like this. The neutral feed is turned into a ground feed and pushed through the mass head. In the panel, of course, there is no neutral feed to be found and all the neutral circuit wires are connected at the same lug where the neutral feed should be. Is anyone else familiar with this sort of setup and help me understand why its not a good idea (assuming it's not)?

Thanks ahead of time!

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

The service neutral is the "ground."

All equipment grounding conductors, neutrals (grounded conductors) and the grounding electrode are bonded to the service neutral at the service equipment.

Past the point of the service equipment, the neutrals and grounds are separated.

[Eric Hyde]

Originally Posted by jpope

The service neutral is the "ground."

All equipment grounding conductors, neutrals (grounded conductors) and the grounding electrode are bonded to the service neutral at the service equipment.

Past the point of the service equipment, the neutrals and grounds are separated.

Thanks for the response. So, it sounds like this is an acceptable setup. But just to be clear - the neutral feed can be converted into a grounding cable before the mass head and connected where a standard neutral feed wire should be in the panel?

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

I'm not sure what constitutes a "conversion" in your mind, but the conductor is the same, regardless of what you're calling it.

It is the service-neutral from the transformer to the service equipment. The service-neutral acts as the grounded conductor and grounding conductor for the service equipment.

Maybe I'm not stating it well (cuz I ain't no sparkie ), but I'm sure one of our experts will be along shortly to sort this out for you. However, from what I can see, this is a normal set-up. . .

[Marc D. Shunk]

Yeah, I'm not really seeing a problem here. What, in particular, concerns you?

"The neutral feed is turned into a ground feed", makes no sense, so you might need to explain that a bit.

[Eric Hyde]

Originally Posted by Marc D. Shunk

Yeah, I'm not really seeing a problem here. What, in particular, concerns you?

"The neutral feed is turned into a ground feed", makes no sense, so you might need to explain that a bit.

I'm just at the one year mark as a home inspector and I'm still working on the shop-talk, so I apologize for losing you with the verbiage. I've just never seen the muli-thread neutral feed line changed into a single strand grounding line before. I wasn't sure if they performed the same. Problem solved.

Thanks for the post.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Originally Posted by ehyde

I've just never seen the muli-thread neutral feed line changed into a single strand grounding line before.

That's what was confusing.

A conductor is a conductor is a conductor. Solid does not mean "ground" and multi-strand does not mean "neutral." They are simply different types of conductors.

The conductor (in this case) is the service neutral, which runs from the transformer to the service panel, regardless of whether it's solid or multi-strand or a combination of both.

[Greg Fretwell]

What about 310.3?

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Well that's something else altogether. I've never even considered that, but now it's etched in my mind and I will be on the look-out. . .

310.3 Stranded Conductors.

Where installed in raceways, conductors of size 8 AWG and larger shall be stranded.