Ground neutral bond location.

[TheFlumph]

I know this has been discussed here, but I think my situation is a little different. My meter and main breaker are one box attached to a shed 40' from the house. The Breaker at the meter has a ground rod and appears to be bonded to the neutral (like the diagram below says to do) but from there only L1, L2, and neutral leave the box enter the house via underground pvc conduit and land at the main breaker panel in the basment. The ground and neutrals are bonded in this panel. This panel has its own ground rod.

So when I hook everything up as in the diagram, I'm unsure where the bond needs to happen. I've read that It needs to happen at the first OCPD, which I'm thinking will be my feeder tap breaker? Or can it just stay in my main breaker panel? I was also reading that in my situation, the three wires entering the house can be considered feeders and not service lines from the Main service breaker and dont require the EGC to be run.


also, bonus question, the diagram shows a separate ground running from the feeder tap to the transfer switch even though its also going there via the feeder tap breaker. That seems odd to me.

 

[hwy17]

Your existing grounding system is logical by old 3 wire outbuilding code. Your house in this case is an outbuilding.

Where do you want to put the inverter?

Code might say you need to upgrade to modern 4 wire feeder if you're gonna touch it. If inspections won't apply, then other options might pass reasonable judgement.

 

[TheFlumph]

Your existing grounding system is logical by old 3 wire outbuilding code. Your house in this case is an outbuilding.

Where do you want to put the inverter?

Code might say you need to upgrade to modern 4 wire feeder if you're gonna touch it. If inspections won't apply, then other options might pass reasonable judgement.

The inverter is going in the basement near the Main breaker panel.
we dont have inspections here, but the electric company will be checking it out before allowing net metering.

 

[hwy17]

Electrically you could treat the house like the shed doesn't exist, it has a feeder like any other house has a utility feeder, it has a main panel, and it has one bond located there.

So you could ignore the shed and follow the EG4 plans based on that line of thinking, but I don't know if the utility will be satisfied with it. The shed panel will at least need to be adequate to pass the backfeed current by the 125% rule if the shed panel has any load circuits on it.

 

[TheFlumph]

Electrically you could treat the house like the shed doesn't exist, it has a feeder like any other house has a utility feeder, it has a main panel, and it has one bond located there.

So you could ignore the shed and follow the EG4 plans based on that line of thinking, but I don't know if the utility will be satisfied with it. The shed panel will at least need to be adequate to pass the backfeed current by the 125% rule if the shed panel has any load circuits on it.

If i did it that way could my bond stay at the breaker panel? Or does the feeder breaker mess that up since it comes before?

 

[hwy17]

If i did it that way could my bond stay at the breaker panel? Or does the feeder breaker mess that up since it comes before?

Electrically I think both bonds could stay as they are. Code wise I'm not so sure. Whatever you do it would be good if you can get the utility to ok the plan first.

 

[TheFlumph]

Electrically I think both bonds could stay as they are. Code wise I'm not so sure. Whatever you do it would be good if you can get the utility to ok the plan first.

Will do. Just sent an email to get ahold of whoever will be coming to look. Thanks so much for your time.

 

[timselectric]

I

If i did it that way could my bond stay at the breaker panel? Or does the feeder breaker mess that up since it comes before?

If You don't change the existing feeder. It can remain as it is.( it's grandfathered)
The utility company won't care about it.
As long as you install everything according to the plan you submit and they approved.

 

[TheFlumph]

I

f You don't change the existing feeder. It can remain as it is.( it's grandfathered)
The utility company won't care about it.
As long as you install everything according to the plan you submit and they approved.

Ill be disconnecting it from the basement breaker panel and landing it in the feeder tap breaker (after splitting it with polaris connectors.) Im not sure if thats considered changing or not.

 

[timselectric]

Ill be disconnecting it from the basement breaker panel and landing it in the feeder tap breaker (after splitting it with polaris connectors.) Im not sure if thats considered changing or not.

It would be, according to code. But you aren't getting inspected, right?
Just get the plan approved and install it according to the plan.