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   / New garage time! #1,171  
Yes
You need to put in a ground bus bar, and remove the bonding screw that connects the neutral bus to the case. All panels after the one with the service disconnect have to have the grounds separate by code.
Good to catch it now rather than at an inspection down the road after everything is installed. You might want to check if your locale requires arc fault breakers before you get too far as well.
 
   / New garage time!
  • Thread Starter
#1,172  
Wonder if I can just disconnect the 2 sides of the neutral buses and use one for neutral and one for ground. I'm really shocked they didn't have one. The neutral bus screws to the case so I would need a way to isolate the ground bus from the metal case. Previous panels I've bought have had dedicated ground bus, I'm not sure why this doesn't.
 
   / New garage time! #1,173  
Wonder if I can just disconnect the 2 sides of the neutral buses and use one for neutral and one for ground. I'm really shocked they didn't have one. The neutral bus screws to the case so I would need a way to isolate the ground bus from the metal case. Previous panels I've bought have had dedicated ground bus, I'm not sure why this doesn't.
I used an old 1980 100 amp CH box that had originally been installed in our house, out in our new pole barn. We had added an addition to the house many years ago, and upgraded to a 200 amp service and panel at that time.

That old box had the neutral and ground bus bars linked and grounded to the box. I found an insulated neutral bar on Amazon for about $20, and I mounted that separately inside the old box, to bring it “up to code” as a sub-panel out in the barn. I also drove (2) 8 ft ground rods, about 8 ft apart out there for that sub-panel, to which I also grounded the steel barn siding and roofing.
 
   / New garage time! #1,174  
Wonder if I can just disconnect the 2 sides of the neutral buses and use one for neutral and one for ground. I'm really shocked they didn't have one. The neutral bus screws to the case so I would need a way to isolate the ground bus from the metal case. Previous panels I've bought have had dedicated ground bus, I'm not sure why this doesn't.

The neutral bus should be isolated from the case when you remove the bonding screw. It should be marked or apparent. The ground bus should be screwed into the case, not the other way around. Believe I had to buy separate ground bar for last Sq D panel I installed.

The panel should come with neutral and ground bonded. Being a sub panel you have to separate them by removing the bonding screw.
 
   / New garage time!
  • Thread Starter
#1,175  
Got it sorted. They skimped on ground bus, so I bought 2 and put them in. Problem solved. Now it's just pulling wire and installing outlets. I'm going to do 4 outlets in a gang every 8' with 8 outlets at the workbench, and 2 outlets on switches in the ceiling for the lights plus an extra outlet in the ceiling for the projector. I absolutely HATE running extension cords all over and never having enough outlets, so I'm going completely overboard.

G0NBoQ5.jpg
 
   / New garage time! #1,176  
Don't be chintzy on the outside outlets either. Don't install outside lights right by your doors. Keep them far enough away so that bugs don't come in when you open and close doors at night. A switched outlet under the eves doesn't cost much but sure is nice for Christmas lights if you ever so desire.
 
   / New garage time! #1,178  
Are wire nuts allowed inside a panel?

How many amps are you running into that panel? What size wire are you using?

Why didn't you strip the black coating off of your ground wires?

All of the yellow covering of your romex needs to be removed once it's inside the panel.

You need grommets where the wire goes through the panel
 
   / New garage time! #1,179  
Isn't the current "feed" a temporary extension cord?
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   / New garage time!
  • Thread Starter
#1,180  
Are wire nuts allowed inside a panel?

How many amps are you running into that panel? What size wire are you using?

Why didn't you strip the black coating off of your ground wires?

All of the yellow covering of your romex needs to be removed once it's inside the panel.

You need grommets where the wire goes through the panel
I'm just feeding it with an extension cord for now, I haven't trenched and pulled the line yet, just want it to be ready for the line when I eventually do it. I'm going to be running 2-3 wire for 100 amps from the house.

The black wires are placeholders until I get the proper heavy wire from the house. The weather has finally broke and I'm going to be pulling the trencher in the garage for repair shortly, the front axle fell off, mounting point broke.

Also, does the yellow really need to be stripped off? Why?
 
 
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