I goofed…through an evolution of plans and intentions, I ran 3 wire service from my disconnect (on a pole) indoors into my new house (which started as a workshop…)
Because the meter and disconnect are on the pole, I need to wire the panel in the house as a subpanel. But I ran only 2 hots and 1 neutral, no ground.
I have read that the NEC allows 3 wire subpanels when the building is not attached to any other electrically, i.e. since there is no fourth wire, there is no “concern” of a broken neutral resulting in current flowing through the fourth wire ground. According to this NEC situation, I believe I need to drive ground rods at the subpanel and connect the neutral from the main to these rods.
Furthermore, it would be good to drive additional ground rods at the subpanel which I tie to my GROUNDS in the subpanel, which ARE isolated from the neutrals in the panel.
So no bonding in the subpanel…two separate groups of ground rods (one tied to neutral and one tied to GROUND)…and only 3 wires into the panel.
Is this correct?
It’s about 170′ from the disconnect and service entrance pole to the house. Everything is buried…in conduit, but I know I’ll never get another line through the conduit. I could dig again and add the fourth wire, probably the BEST thing. Is it necessary?
Safety is the key, I agree.
Open to all comments and attacks…at least I am saying I goofed! LOL Thanks.
Replies
Seems to me that this box in your "main". If you have any other boxes in the house, they would by sub-panels. Wire them as such.
You get out of life what you put into it......minus taxes.
Marv