There have been a couple of times when we have had to turn a main panel into a sub panel. Along with the other requirements, we isolated the neutrals from the grounds by removing the jumper that ties the neutral bar to the second bar that we then used for grounds. When I mentioned this to another electrician he told me he got knocked down for that because he violated the UL listing and that he should have installed another ground bar. Any comments?
Converting a main panel to a sub panel.
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Technically I guess that is true but I believe GE makes a plastic bar to replace when you remove the metallic one. I think it is a bogus call but technically the inspector is correct. BTW, I remove the bar all the time and never had an issue with it.
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Many GE panels have a bus across the bottom that connects the bars on either side. Removing that bus, then bonding one of the bars, gives you a neutral bar on the unbonded side and a grounding bar on the other.
I've been dinged more than once by doing this by inspectors who don't know this about GE panels. I gotta drag out the manufacturer's instructions for them.
I've been dinged more than once by doing this by inspectors who don't know this about GE panels. I gotta drag out the manufacturer's instructions for them.
I know in the case of a Siemens panel it does not violate the listing. Just as Dennis stated with GE, Siemens sells a plastic replacement for the "tie bar". This gives you one bar that can be bonded to the tub while the other is used for the neutral. It is only a problem if you remove the "tie bar" without replacing it with the plastic one.
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