[Shop-talk] Running power to the shop

[Brian Kemp]

When I put in a sub panel, ground was from the house.  It was only a 40' 
run, so that may have been the difference.  Local codes may vary, so it 
is worth a call to the building permit people.

Randall is correct about ground and neutral needing to be independent 
from each other at the sub panel.  They make an isolated bar that goes 
in the panel for all the neutrals.  Grounds go to the normal panel ground.

The basic theory is ground always needs to stay at ground.  Run a heavy 
current on the neutral and it will no longer be a true ground.  A longer 
run or slightly corroded connection will make it worse.  The permit 
process is actually a good thing here.

Brian

On 3/8/2012 4:02 PM, Randall wrote:
>> You might want to check the code on that.
> I agree about checking.  ISTR the rule was that a separate building could
> have its own ground rod, but that the neutral conductor should only be
> bonded to ground at the main entrance.  So the outbuilding would have
> neutral treated as a hot wire (not bonded to ground).
>
> -- Randall
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