# Code question: making a neutral bond jumper



## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I have bought those screws at Lowes-- you can paint the head green if you need to with nail polish or something like that.


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## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

It can be a wire type also.


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## forsaledun (Nov 15, 2012)

sayn3ver said:


> Repurposing a 200amp square d qo panel that was used as a sub panel to a main service disconnect. The panel is missing the stock green neutral bonding screw.
> 
> Is it a code violation to make up a bonding jumper out of #6 and a lug or do I need the UL listed manufacturer's item to pass inspection?
> 
> Silly but the AHJ is super picky.


Legal or not, if the inspector is picky, I'd use a screw.


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## mbednarik (Oct 10, 2011)

The 400 amp chi panel i installed a while back came with a 2' piece of 1/0 and a lug. I would go for it.


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## sayn3ver (Sep 13, 2011)

I have a stock square d bond screw from a 125a square d qo panel. It is a different part number (ie. it's too short). I have a thread pitch gauge. 

Are you suggesting I buy any screw from the local hardware store that matches the pitch and length I need and paint the head green with either paint or nail polish? 

Zinc, hot dip galv or stainless? Haha


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

sayn3ver said:


> I have a stock square d bond screw from a 125a square d qo panel. It is a different part number (ie. it's too short). I have a thread pitch gauge.
> 
> Are you suggesting I buy any screw from the local hardware store that matches the pitch and length I need and paint the head green with either paint or nail polish?
> 
> Zinc, hot dip galv or stainless? Haha


if that's what you have planned, bond it with wire and lugs


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## bkmichael65 (Mar 25, 2013)

Some inspectors might not like it, but wire is code compliant. I've lost screws before and had to use wire and nothing was ever said about it


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## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

Making a big deal out of nothing. Read 250.28


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## sayn3ver (Sep 13, 2011)

Thanks for the code reference. All I was looking for.

Edit: 250.28 along with the sections referenced within (250.8 and 250.66) answered my initial question.

Not to make a big deal out of this but as a follow up question...while they spec the size wire required for the jumper, they only briefly mentioned a machine screw requiring atleast two threads or to be nutted may be used. 

It seems silly to me to spec a wire size but not to spec a minimum screw size required. To me a #4 copper wire would conduct a lot better than a #10 or 1/4 20 machine screw of junk Chinese steel.


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## JammedUp (May 12, 2013)

the screw size needed on most of the panels is 10-24. But if you need to make a bond jumper, it needs to be at least 12.5% the size of the ungrounded conductors.


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## sayn3ver (Sep 13, 2011)

I thought the 12.5% was for supply conductors over 1100kcmil.


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## bkmichael65 (Mar 25, 2013)

sayn3ver said:


> I thought the 12.5% was for supply conductors over 1100kcmil.


It is. At 1100 and smaller use 250.66


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## sayn3ver (Sep 13, 2011)

bkmichael65 said:


> It is. At 1100 and smaller use 250.66


Yes I discovered that chart earlier with the help of nolatigabait.
My point is they make a big deal about the size of a wire conductor used for said jumper but say a machine screw of indiscriminate thickness can be used as well as long as at least two threads or a nut secures the machine screw.

I haven't been able to located the square d part locally which is what prompted my original post. I learned about section 250.28 today which made it a worthwhile thread for me.


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