New construction wiring question

[JimR]

We just built a home in Wisconsin and I found out that all sub panels must be grounded to their own ground rod. Also, they must be accessible. Just our experience with our locale. Good Luck! The Baron

I can see grounding a sub panel if it is in an out building or such. But to ground a sub panel on the second floor of a house that is already grounded through the main panel seems to be useless.

 

[_RaT_]

My compressor has never tripped my 20's. It's 1.5 or 2 HP, can't recall. It has capacitor and unloader for easy starting. Same thing for my table saw (except for the unloader, of course).

My table saw trips not on start but when ripping. A wet piece of lumber that starts pinching the blade and the load goes up so fast I can't do anything short of let it trip. My 3HP Unisaw does not trip the breaker but has on a few occasions hit the thermal limit on the motor. My litle Emglo easily trips a breaker. I use synthetic oil and it does help on cold mornings.

 

[Dusty]

I can see grounding a sub panel if it is in an out building or such. But to ground a sub panel on the second floor of a house that is already grounded through the main panel seems to be useless.

The National Electrical Code requires that all panels past the main panel have to have the grounds and neutrals separated. I went through this last year having to separate out my grounds and neutrals in the former main panel, since I had a 200 amp main circuit breaker right after the meter, and then a master disconnect switch that is for the whole house generator. The neutrals all return back to the pole through the neutral wire supplied by the electric company, and all the bare ground wires are tied into ground rods on the way to the final ground at the well casing. The wire from the first sub panel (formerly the main panel) had to be one uninterrupted wire all the way back and hit each ground rod on the way. I find it easier to follow the code now, than have to deal with a home inspector in the future that feels that what I have is wrong and it holds up the house sale, or I have to pay someone to make the corrections before the closing. I know that we all believe that we will never sell the home, but I also realize that I won't live forever, and that at some time in the future, the home will be sold. If it is after I am gone, then doing it correctly now, will make it easier on whomever has to deal with my estate. If I am still alive when it comes time to sell, it will make it easier on me.
Dusty