Strictly speaking, a ground wire connects to the ground. Bonding means connecting things electrically together. Ground – a wire that goes to a metal pipe or rod that is embedded several feet into the ground. Bonding – connecting wires together to make one continues connection.

Does a sub panel need to be bonded?

Rule #3: In a subpanel, the terminal bar for the equipment ground (commonly known as a ground bus) should be bonded (electrically connected) to the enclosure. The reason for this rule is to provide a path to the service panel and the transformer in case of a ground fault to the subpanel enclosure.

Does a sub panel need to be grounded to the main?





The sub panel neutral bar or terminal should not be bonded to the enclosure or the ground of the sub panel. The sub panel ground should not have a ground rod tied to it. The bonding for the main ground sources such as a ground rod is made at the main panel where all the grounds are bonded together as well.

Why dont you bond neutral and ground in a subpanel?

With ground and neutral bonded, current can travel on both ground and neutral back to the main panel. If the load becomes unbalanced and ground and neutral are bonded, the current will flow through anything bonded to the sub-panel (enclosure, ground wire, piping, etc.) and back to the main panel. Obvious shock hazard!

Is grounding the same as bonding?

Bonding. Bonding is the connection of non-current-carrying conductive elements like enclosures and structures. Grounding is the attachment of bonded systems to the earth. Both are necessary to safeguard people and property from electric hazards.

Should a subpanel have a ground rod?

Yes, any sub panel outside of the main building requires it’s own ground rod and a ground wire back to the main building.

Do you use a bonding screw on a subpanel?





Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: But in this case. The bonding screw is that green headed screw right there. So that screw just simply threads through the neutral bus.

Why do you not ground a subpanel?

So, why do you separate the ground and neutral in a subpanel? Because when we bond them together, it gives your neutral wire (the one carrying electrical currents BACK to the source) multiple pathways. That’s how the chassis of some equipment will become energized.

Can neutral and ground be on the same bar?

The answer is never. Grounds and neutrals should only be connected at the last point of disconnect.

Does a subpanel in a detached garage need a ground rod?

The detached structure is required to have its own Grounding Electrode System (GES) i.e. ground rods. The subpanel in the detached structure will have its grounds and neutrals separated.

Can you explain the difference between earthing grounding and bonding?



Earthing draws the unwanted energy to the ground to protect the person who touches the metallic body of the machine during faults. Bonding ensures both the connected devices at the same level of voltage and provides a low impedance path back to the source to trip the CB in case of fault currents.

What are the advantages of proper bonding and grounding?

The benefits of proper bonding include clearing faults, preventing shock and reducing fires. Grounding provides a low-impedance path for lightning. Properly grounded systems operate as intended. Improperly grounded systems create a fertile ground for power quality problems.

What is the primary purpose of grounding bonding?

The purpose of grounding is to: Drain transient voltages (such as caused by lightning or fallen power lines) out of the system. Ensure, in conjunction with bonding, that normally non current-carrying conductive objects remain at ground potential.

Does a 60 amp sub panel need a ground rod?



In the same building or attached building no ground rod is required just hot hot neutral ground, with ground and neutral being isolated from each other in the sub panel.

How do you connect a ground rod to a sub panel?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: So what we have here is a grounding rod clamp. So what this is going to do is it's going to clamp onto our grounding rod making a secure connection between our grounding rod.

Why are 2 ground rods required?

If it has a ground resistance of 25 ohms or more, 250.56 of the 2005 NEC requires you to drive a second rod. But many contractors don’t bother measuring the ground resistance. They simply plan on driving two rods because doing so will meet the requirements of 250.56, regardless of actual ground resistance.

How far should a ground rod stick out of the ground?

You need to drive your rod all the way into the ground. The electrical code states that it must have 8 feet (2.4 m) of contact with the ground, so you need to drive it all the way down. Driving a ground rod into the ground can take a long time and can be difficult work.

How many ground rods do I need for a 200 amp service?



Grounding Wire



Ground wires for residences typically are made of copper and are #6 (6 AWG) or larger. for 200 Amp services, a #4 grounding electrode conductor (ground wire) is required.

Can you have too many ground rods?

Two ground rods near each other is never worse than just one ground rod, but increasing the spacing of the ground rods reduces their interaction and makes an overall lower impedance path to ground.

Can I use rebar as a grounding rod?

Proper Grounding Rod



Use the proper type of grounding rod. In most cases, pipe or rebar can be used. The grounding rod needs to be made of galvanized steel and also needs to be at least four feet in length for best results.