Another electric service to barn question

[hockeypuck]

On a barn, you do not need to pull a ground, if you put in a ground stake at the barn. In that case you establish a local ground at the remote panel. It is like a new service coming in. Per code.

paul

What paul said.

 

[turbo36]

On a barn, you do not need to pull a ground, if you put in a ground stake at the barn. In that case you establish a local ground at the remote panel. It is like a new service coming in. Per code.

paul

Not trying to get into a big argument here but our local code required it. The NEC code can be interpreted both ways but the "intent' of the separate ground is to reduce the occurrence of "stray voltage". I look at it like wearing your seat belt, it does nothing until something goes wrong and then it can save your life.

 

[hockeypuck]

I have always been taught in a detached building to pull a three wire service and ground at the new building. If you pull a four wire feed, you still should drive ground rods to make sure you do not have a voltage differential in the earth. So by doing that it seems to me that you are wasting a wire and pipe space. To each his own.

 

[turbo36]

I have always been taught in a detached building to pull a three wire service and ground at the new building. If you pull a four wire feed, you still should drive ground rods to make sure you do not have a voltage differential in the earth. So by doing that it seems to me that you are wasting a wire and pipe space. To each his own.

Technically if you don't have any potential ground circuits between the main building and the accessory building you do not have to run a ground wire from the main panel to the sub-panel, in this case you would bond the ground and neutral in the sub panel and install the ground rods only. In my case I have cat 5 wire and trace wires on the water and gas lines running to my barn therefore I have created other potential grounds. I had to run a separate ground from the main to the sub and isolate the ground and neutral circuits in the sub-panel as well as installing the ground rods. The local inspector in our area requires running the ground upon first installation because he doesn't know when someone later adds a new ground circuit potential like a phone line between the two buildings. So in this case two people can be right!

 

[hockeypuck]

But the silly thing is by using the boding screw at the subpanel and main panels, both panels have equal ground potential, so your local inspector really does not know why he or she wants it the way he or she wants it, but I understand, we have to bow to the ever omnipotent local ahj.

 

[sandman2234]

N80,
There is no idiots guide to electricity. Either you are an idiot, and have no business messing with electricity, or you have average intelligence and can follow written instructions to a T. Different parts of the world use different codes, and each should be adhered to.
Do I think I am an electrian? No, but I do know one, and that is the main thing I needed. Find one, and buy some donuts, or figure out a way to trade some work. Running electricity isn't brain surgury, but keeping it to code and not frying someone takes a little bit of learning, and electricity doesn't offer much in the forgiving arena.
David from jax

 

[scott_vt]

N80,
There is no idiots guide to electricity. Either you are an idiot, and have no business messing with electricity, or you have average intelligence and can follow written instructions to a T.

David from jax

Evenin David,
Well George is a doctor, so Im guessing above average intelligence !

 

[kenmac]

Not trying to get into a big argument here but our local code required it. The NEC code can be interpreted both ways but the "intent' of the separate ground is to reduce the occurrence of "stray voltage". I look at it like wearing your seat belt, it does nothing until something goes wrong and then it can save your life.

Don't know about a barn but,. I had to pull a ground & drive a rod in the ground for the secondary panel at the garage to pass inspection

 

[sandman2234]

Thanks Scott! I really didn't mean to call him an idiot, just wanted to make sure that he knew there are no shortcuts allowed when it comes to messing with electricity.
I will stand back and wait on the flack from him for my previous statement. George, fire away!
David from jax

 

[ditzel]

Not sure about your local electrical code, but here in N.J. they follow NEC, and driving a 2nd ground rod at the barn would fail inspection. That would only be permissable if you had a seperate metered service on the barn fed directly from the power co. Otherwise you need 4 wire(2 hots, neutral and a ground)

Correction- the above is for 1 circuit to a detached building.