Hi,

I was checking the main panel at a cabin in the country I bought last
year and I have a question. The main panel is right below the counter,
and in it comes four wires: The two hots, the neutral, and an
unstripped ground which is tied to the ground bus in the panel.

I know that normally, in the main panel, the neutral must be connected
to the ground. But it isn't here. Maybe it is in the counter box, but
it's sealed by the utility and I can't open it to check. I can't find
out and I don't want to risk double-binding the ground.

Is there any way that I could check if the neutral is connected to the
ground without opening the counter box?

Thanks

Note: Please reply in the newsgroup. The e-mail used in this post is a
spam-collection address and I don't read it.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi,

I was checking the main panel at a cabin in the country I bought
last
year and I have a question. The main panel is right below the
counter,
and in it comes four wires: The two hots, the neutral, and an
unstripped ground which is tied to the ground bus in the panel.

I know that normally, in the main panel, the neutral must be
connected
to the ground. But it isn't here. Maybe it is in the counter box,
but
it's sealed by the utility and I can't open it to check. I can't
find
out and I don't want to risk double-binding the ground.

Is there any way that I could check if the neutral is connected to
the
ground without opening the counter box?

Thanks

Note: Please reply in the newsgroup. The e-mail used in this post is
a
spam-collection address and I don't read it.


Look at the instructions printed on the panel door for the location of
the bonding screw or jumper first...

If the meter box has a main disconnect in it, you probably won't find a
bonding connection in the panel. If the main disconnect is in the panel, do
as Rick said and look for a screw or small jumper going into the neutral
buss
wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi,

I was checking the main panel at a cabin in the country I bought last
year and I have a question. The main panel is right below the counter,
and in it comes four wires: The two hots, the neutral, and an
unstripped ground which is tied to the ground bus in the panel.

I know that normally, in the main panel, the neutral must be connected
to the ground. But it isn't here. Maybe it is in the counter box, but
it's sealed by the utility and I can't open it to check. I can't find
out and I don't want to risk double-binding the ground.

Is there any way that I could check if the neutral is connected to the
ground without opening the counter box?

Thanks

Note: Please reply in the newsgroup. The e-mail used in this post is a
spam-collection address and I don't read it.

Thanks Rick and RBM, I will check for a bonding screw next week-end. I
was expecting a bonding wire.

There is no main disconnect. That panel is outside and cannot be turned
off. Not sure this is legal, but the utility did connect it once. It
seems that the previous owner just left that temporary service entrance
there and started 4 circuits from it. I've converted that panel in a
pseudo-disconnect by removing all the breakers and putting a lone 40Amp
in it, with another sub-panel inside. This may not be perfect but it's
good enough for a small hunting cabin.

Thanks

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Last I rode the rail, I learned the conductor was bonded!


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--
-john
wide-open at throttle dot info