On Jul 8, 1:25*pm, wrote:
On Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:29:08 -0500, Steve Barker

wrote:
Ok, i understand the whole panel/subpanel setup. *And isolating the
neutral from the ground in the sub etc etc. *Here's the question:
We've recently purchased a house (next door) and it has the typical farm
setup, (meter on the pole with a disconnect, and three wires to the
house). *The difference with this one is that there is a second panel
that was added in about 1960, when they added on to the house, which i
assumed at first was just a sub off the main panel. *I just noticed
today that the second panel is ALSO tied into the feeders just outside
the house and so it in effect is a second main panel. *Are there any
issues with it being this way as long as each panel has it's own pair of
proper ground rods? *Should the two be bonded together either at the
ground rods OR between the two panels?

thanks!

The code says disconnects for the building should be "grouped" and you
can't have 2 sets of service entrance conductors. *It sounds like you
have 2 disconnects in one building that are separated.
I can't think of any way to fix this that is easy and 2008 code legal.
I would not stay awake nights worrying about it if it is otherwise
compliant.

Bare with me as I'm not a electrician, but why would grounding rods
needs to be interconnected on the two mains panels in one building?
What's the difference between one building with two main and two
house next too each other with two meters that attach to the same pole
wires? Just curious about the logic.

Robin