# grounding neutrals with a splitter



## paulcanada (Feb 6, 2009)

Hey guys. 

I am planning to come from a meter (240v, 1ph) and power a splitter. From the splitter I am going to feed 3 safety switches which will feed 3 lighting panels. My question is...I was going to leave the neutrals isolated (and unswitched) in those safety switches so that they went right back to the transformer from their panels. Or do I have to connect them to ground on the line side of the switch and not worry about leaving them isolated? I know its typically grounded at the transformer and also at the line side of the lighting panel but I am not 100% sure now that I put the splitter in the mix.

Thanks.


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## Mike in Canada (Jun 27, 2010)

I wouldn't bond the neutral anywhere except at the transformer (the 'service', in this case).


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## oldtimer (Jun 10, 2010)

paulcanada said:


> Hey guys.
> 
> I am planning to come from a meter (240v, 1ph) and power a splitter. From the splitter I am going to feed 3 safety switches which will feed 3 lighting panels. My question is...I was going to leave the neutrals isolated (and unswitched) in those safety switches so that they went right back to the transformer from their panels. Or do I have to connect them to ground on the line side of the switch and not worry about leaving them isolated? I know its typically grounded at the transformer and also at the line side of the lighting panel but I am not 100% sure now that I put the splitter in the mix.
> 
> Thanks.


 After reading the o.p. A question ... is there a main disconnect (fused),before the splitter? Which I believe is code.

If the answer is yes, then the answer is, the neutral should be grounded in the main disconnect, only. I M O . Please correct me if I am wrong.


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## paulcanada (Feb 6, 2009)

Feeding the splitter is a breaker-one of those farm meter/breaker boxes.. This farm has been running for years with everything just split bolted together on the pole up top. I would like to bring it down, run everything underground and be able to shut things off individually. 

Looking at the CEC it shows the neutral to a panel grounded at the transformer and at the panel on the line side. 

Why would it change if its fed from a disconnect? I am just curious and looking to get this right. It's for my father in law.


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## Rockyd (Apr 22, 2007)

oldtimer said:


> After reading the o.p. A question ... is there a main disconnect (fused),before the splitter? Which I believe is code.
> 
> If the answer is yes, then the answer is, the neutral should be grounded in the main disconnect, only. I M O . Please correct me if I am wrong.


Although both countries have there own code books, I think they are pretty close in concepts. 

Here on the U.S. side the border in the NEC it would be 250.30(A)(1)(a) or (b)

(a)







_Installed at the Source._ The system bonding jumper shall connect the grounded conductor to the supply-side bonding jumper and the normally non–current-carrying metal enclosure. 

(b)







_Installed at the First Disconnecting Means._ The system bonding jumper shall connect the grounded conductor to the supply-side bonding jumper, the disconnecting means enclosure, and the equipment grounding conductor(s). 

Tie the neutral and the grounding conductor, together either at the source (inside the transformer can), or at the the first disconnect, but not both. This is so that the neutral has one path, not parallel paths, which creates objectionable currents, because the nuetral current would flow on more than one path if they were parallel. Parallel neutral paths are a bad news situation!

Edit - Would be interested in what the CEC says on the issue. Thinking it will probably be much the same. Two books - same issue.


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## paulcanada (Feb 6, 2009)

Well that makes sense to me. One path. I like that.


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## farlsincharge (Dec 31, 2010)

Neutral must be bonded to ground on the line side of the switch. Ground will be an electrode installed at that location. The diagram you found in the CEC is correct. You can bond the splitter can to the neutral as well if you need to. (like if it is not near your panel locations and you are using USEI or similar cable with no bonding conductor.)


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

oldtimer said:


> After reading the o.p. A question ... is there a main disconnect (fused),before the splitter? Which I believe is code.
> 
> If the answer is yes, then the answer is, the neutral should be grounded in the main disconnect, only. I M O . Please correct me if I am wrong.


I believe you are correct.


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## paulcanada (Feb 6, 2009)

farlsincharge said:


> Neutral must be bonded to ground on the line side of the switch. Ground will be an electrode installed at that location. The diagram you found in the CEC is correct. You can bond the splitter can to the neutral as well if you need to. (like if it is not near your panel locations and you are using USEI or similar cable with no bonding conductor.)



I am getting confused here. I know it is to be grounded on the line side but I feel like there are two line sides here. I have the line side which feeds the splitter from the poco and then I have the line side which feeds a panel from the splitter.

Looking at figure 1 of rule 10-204 in appendix B should I treat the "source" as a switch from the splitter? Or should I only think of that as the transformer on the pole?


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## farlsincharge (Dec 31, 2010)

The way I would do it with a farm service is that your safety switches would be the portion labelled "service box". If they are all run from seperate feeds out of the splitter to different locations, they would _each_ be treated that way with their own individual electrode.

Your splitter is between the source and service distribution portion and is a non issue, other than you having to bond the can to ground.


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## Mike in Canada (Jun 27, 2010)

farlsincharge said:


> Neutral must be bonded to ground on the line side of the switch. Ground will be an electrode installed at that location. The diagram you found in the CEC is correct. You can bond the splitter can to the neutral as well if you need to. (like if it is not near your panel locations and you are using USEI or similar cable with no bonding conductor.)


 The code says that the connection is to be made in the 'service box'. Since a 'service box' is anything that allow you to open the circuit without opening the box, it's either a disconnect or a breaker panel. That would be a disconnect between the meter and the splitter. If there is no fused disconnect between the meter and the splitter then you'll need to add one.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

Mike in Canada said:


> The code says that the connection is to be made in the 'service box'. Since a 'service box' is anything that allow you to open the circuit without opening the box, it's either a disconnect or a breaker panel. That would be a disconnect between the meter and the splitter. If there is no fused disconnect between the meter and the splitter then you'll need to add one.


It is about now that I ask ,"What is a split er, in regards to an electrical service?


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## Mshea (Jan 17, 2011)

Where is the service entry switch? Ground there only it is the box where the incomming utility wires go. Unless there is a new service or system established by an isolation transformer it is still the same service. Out buildings can be fed two ways except for buildings housing livestock. I so wish it was easy to draw and post a 1 line or diagram in the forum. There is so little detail to your question and I can imagine too many ways this service is wired. Is it a pole service? IE utility to main switch on a pole and back up to the pole top and off to several out buildings overhead? You could put a ground and service switch at each building and 1 at the main incomming service. Maybe a photo or a 1 line just to detail the question a little better.


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