I just absolutely hate being wrong but occasionally it can happen.
My question concerns proper grounding of two updated panels one being the main on an exterior wall near the meter and has a earth ground in place. The second panel located on an interior wall within 3 feet of the exterior panel. The earth ground was not extended to the interior panel other than the neutral wire. Am I right or wrong should the earth ground have been extended to the interior panel.
Charley,
To better answer your question…answer this…
1.) Is that interior panel fed from the outside panel or directly into the meter itself?
2.) How many wires are run to the inside panel?
Edit- opps…i said Interior Meter…lol…had to FIX that…
Paul The meter is outside and the main panel is located near the meter it is a standard 220 volt and a neutral 3 wires. The exterior panel has the earth ground to the rod. Both panels have the neutral connected to each other and in essence are connected to the ground rod. My question is should an additional ground have been connected between the two panels.
Charley,
You did not answer my question…is the interior panel FED from the exterior panel…or does the interior panel feed directly into the outside meter itself…just like the exteroir panel does.
Trust me…I am going somewhere with this…
Sorry you thru me with the meter.
The interior panel is fed directely from the exterior panel not the meter.
Ahhh…then you should have a 4 wire set up going from the exterior panel to the interior panel…and no need to have the GEC go from the outside panel to the inside panel…the Grounding takes place at the outside point…
The 4th wire that should be going to the inside panel is the EGC and fulfils the application fine.
if it is NOT a 4 wire setup…then it is wrong and should be called out and defered.
Sorry to drag you on and on with this…but wanted to make sure we are clear on it…as both methods could have issued so I wanted to make sure we address your question directly.
Hope that explained it for you Charley…if not as always my phone is on and open for your questions.
Thanks Paul the reason I asked this question I inspect in two different towns and the one that I do the most inspections in and am use to seeing a non-protected ground between the panels going to the neutral bars. The inspection that I was making reference to was being sold by a little old lady and her son installed the electrical panels and is suppose to be the city electrical inspector and he stated the the installation was up to city code.
I disagreed in my report stating that the indoor panel did not appear to be grounded properly and boy did I stir the stink.
Charley,
It would only be wrongly done IF the guy did not run a 4 ( four ) wire cable to the interior panel…then his installation is incorrect.