FOLLOW-UP TO DISCUSSION AT STAHI ZOOM MEETING 8/21/2021: Ground & Neutral on same lug in main service panel.
?: Can a Ground & Neutral wire be on same lug in main service panel. Is this something that should be called out?
+ Frank Macak, Dennis Cole and others said this is common practice, is found all the time, the electricians say it’s fine and they do not called out.
+ Frank Macak said it does not make sense that they have to be separated since they are bonded in the main service panel in any case.
+ Larry Ames said that the separation of neutrals and grounds as required by the NEC and it should be followed, but that he would investigate and advise.
+ Larry offers this link:
Can more than one neutral or ground wire be terminated under the same lug/set-screw in an electric panel?
https://www.howtolookatahouse.com/Blog/Entries/2018/7/can-more-than-one-neutral-or-ground-wire-be-terminated-under-the-same-lugset-screw-in-an-electric-panel.html#:~:text=Each%20neutral%20%28white%2C%20grounded%20conductor%29%20wire%20should%20be,%28bare%20or%20green%29%20wire%20cannot%20share%20a%20terminal.
+ Larry’s takeaway from this: The separation of neutrals and grounds in their connections in the main service panel is a requirement of the NEC which is an electrician’s code and a qualified electrician should follow that code. The code requirement was developed for good reason and relates to safety. I will continue to report this despite any complaints from electricians (i have had none). Please offer your perspective and other information relative to this matter so that we can hopefully reach a reliable consensus on this matter.
Are we discussing more than one wire under a lug (NEC 408.41 and UL calls this out as a NO!) or separating ground and neutrals (both called ground conductors)? Depending on whether the panel is downstream and how it’s wired (3 or 4 wire) the latter can vary. We call both out, the latter only in downstream panels (the word “subpanel” does not appear in the NEC and never has)