oldjohnt Posted February 5, 2021 Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 12 hours ago, GlennWest said: But what if I disconnect the neutral to ground at the pole and reconnect at camper? When I last practiced Power Distribution Engineering THAT WAS NEVER DONE but I'm not up on the latest codes so NO warranty. AFTER the ONE and ONLY permissible NG Bond (at the first disconnect) for 120/240 Volt Single Phase Three Wire service you would carry FOUR WIRES.........Two UNgrounDED Conductors L1 & L2,,,,,,,,,,,,One GrounDED Conductor (aka Neutral),,,, One Safety Equipment GroundING Conductor. Then any later sub panels be it an RV or whatever, The Neutral Buss and Equipment GroundING Buss are kept separate insulated and isolated from each other. Its not that hard and requires ONLY one more wire and unless the code has changed ??? thats how its done but do as you please is fine with me its YOUR choice not ours NOTE not being there and not knowing what's at the pole (is it first means of disconnect??) DO NOT TAKE THIS AS THE LATEST,,, consult the NEC and any local governing authority if any is applicable in your area DO NOT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT this is ONLY my best recollection and how it was years ago John T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance A Lott Posted February 5, 2021 Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 Glenn my house has 3 wires coming off the transformer to the meter, 2 110 and a neutral, then a switch. The neutral and the ground are common at the meter. 3 wires going 600 feet, 0000 aluminium then a switch then to the panel the neutral and a ground are isolated at the panel. It's been this way for 35 years and I don't know if it's correct but I bought everything from the power company when I installed it. The only conduit used was at the pole into the ground. use a sliding conection, I didn't and that's a mistake at least in freezing country, and were it comes out of the ground and into the house and over a ledge that is under the driveway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 See that is what I was thinking of doing. So I am getting conflicting info. I just came from my property looking at it. My meter base is 3 in and out. My 200 amp box is common ground and neutral. It does have 2 lugs on the common ground/neutral. A bare copper about #8 goes to a 5/8" copper rod in ground. So being it is common a #4/0 neutral is all that is needed but is it legal? I can much cheaper make a ground at camper site. My home would have proper grounding and panel at post have proper grounding. Just the buried wire would have no separate ground. Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldjohnt Posted February 5, 2021 Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 16 minutes ago, GlennWest said: My 200 amp box is common ground and neutral. It does have 2 lugs on the common ground/neutral. A bare copper about #8 goes to a 5/8" copper rod in ground. So being it is common a #4/0 neutral is all that is needed but is it legal? I can much cheaper make a ground at camper site. My home would have proper grounding and panel at post have proper grounding. Just the buried wire would have no separate ground. 1) "My 200 amp box is common ground and neutral" Thats what I would expect and is code proper when I last practiced, that's your Neutral Ground Bond creation........of which there should BE ONLY ONE alls well so far 2) "A bare copper about #8 goes to a 5/8" copper rod in ground" That's connection of the Neutral to a "Made Grounding Electrode" (Grounding NOT Bonding), fine and expected other then I uses a soft bare copper # 4 conductor NOT No 8. 3) "So being it is common a #4/0 neutral is all that is needed but is it legal?" WHATS LEGAL IS RUNNING A SEPARATE GROUNDED CONDUCTOR (aka Neutral) PLUS a separate Equipment GroundiNG Conductor to any downstream sub panels IE NOTTTTTTTTTTTTT NEUTRAL ONLY. For 120/240 Volt Single Phase Three Wire from a main to a sub (or RV panel) you need FOUR wires,,,,,,,,Two Hots, Neutral, Ground and the sub like RV panels have separate insulated and isolated Neutral and Ground Busses NOT a single common buss Theres no other way of saying this, so wire it anyway you please and sure it can still work. I am ONLY describing it the way the NEC (as I best recall no warranty) called for it to be done when I last practiced Power Distribution Engineering PS I don't think you understand the difference between Grounding and Bonding but don't feel bad many non electrician non electrical engineers don't either lol Good luck with it take care be safe and best wishes John T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 (edited) Actually John, The trailer that was previously in there they just cut the lines. They skinned the wire far back to go in both lugs. So on common/ground to trailer. Just 3 wires. He also has a 60 amp breaker in there running an underground line to removed trailer. Don't know what that used for. Concerning the wiring, the neutral and ground is together in the box. They just supply two lugs. So you saying run two lines off of there and call one ground and one neutral. They are both the same in reality. Edited February 5, 2021 by GlennWest Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted February 5, 2021 Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 A quick call to the electrical inspector will provide what is acceptable in your area. Here I have called them and received answers without a permit or even giving them my name. At least then you will know what code requires. If you decide to skirt the code no one on this forum can help if it becomes an issue. Quote Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 7 minutes ago, Randyretired said: A quick call to the electrical inspector will provide what is acceptable in your area. Here I have called them and received answers without a permit or even giving them my name. At least then you will know what code requires. If you decide to skirt the code no one on this forum can help if it becomes an issue. I will do whatever is needed. Don't understand why it is needed. Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted February 5, 2021 Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2020/09/10/separating-grounds-and-neutrals Quote Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash17k Posted February 5, 2021 Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 21 minutes ago, Randyretired said: https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2020/09/10/separating-grounds-and-neutrals Thanks. And many thanks to all who replied! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldjohnt Posted February 5, 2021 Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 1 hour ago, GlennWest said: I will do whatever is needed. Don't understand why it is needed. Heres why: The Safety Equipment GroundING Conductor is a dedicated low resistance return path designed to carry FAULT CURRENT ONLY. Its designed to NEVER carry normal current, that's the job of the Neutral GrounDED conductor described below The GrounDED Conductor aka Neutral is designed to carry all normal return current. The Neutral Conductor is insulated as its a HOT live current carrier UNLIKE the often bare Equipment GroundING Conductor which can be attached to the outer metallic conductive case/frame of a tool or appliance which you touch. YES once the Neutral Ground BOND is established (like a common Neutral Ground Buss Bar in a main panel) you carry two wires (Neutral and Ground) from there THAT SAME PLACE to a downstream Sub or RV Panel which has separate insulated and isolated Neutral and Ground Busses. HOWEVER the ground ONLY carries fault current while the Neutral carries normal return current. Best I can do Glenn, DO NOT feel bad if you dont understand it most non electricians non engineers dont either lol AGAIN wire as you please its NOT my job to tell you how. Consult local trained professional electricians and engineers NOTTTTTTTTTTT me Im rusty on this even if it constituted much of my lifes work and training...... John T BSEE,JD Longgggggggg retired Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 Thanks. Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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