Can the neutral and ground wires be placed on the same busbar?

Content

What you need to know about hot, neutral and ground wires
Can the neutral and ground wires be connected to the same busbar?
- Main service panels
  - Cause
- Subpanels
How does alternating current work?
I can't find the green wire on my home electrical outlet
Can a GFCI circuit breaker protect my home from ground faults?
Summing up

In general, you should never connect neutral and ground wires to the same bus. This will jeopardize the safety of electrical circuits. However, you are allowed to share the bus at the last disconnect point. This situation is applicable only in the main service panel.

We will share more details in the article below.

What you need to know about hot, neutral and ground wires

As a certified electrician, I always encourage my clients to get at least a basic knowledge of electricity.

Overcoming this is highly dependent on your skills and determination. So proper knowledge of hot, neutral, and ground wires can help you in a variety of circumstances. This includes a breakdown of this article. So here is a simple explanation of these three wires.

hot wire

In most household electrical circuits, you will find three different colored wires; One black wire, one white wire and one green wire.

Focus on the black wire. This is the hot wire and is responsible for carrying the load. Some may recognize this wire as a live wire. In any case, the purpose of this wire remains the same.

In some cases, you may find more than three wires. Single phase power comes with two hot wires, one neutral wire and one ground wire. Three-phase power comes with three hot wires, and the rest of the wires remain the same as single-phase.

Be careful: Touching a hot wire while the circuit breaker is on can result in electric shock.

Neutral wire

The white wire in your home electrical circuit is the neutral wire.

This wire serves as the return path for electricity. Simply put, the neutral wire acts as a return path for the electricity supplied through the hot wire. He closes the chains. Remember, electricity only flows through a complete circuit.

Study the DC flow image above for a better understanding.

Now try to apply the same theory to your home electrical system.

Ground wire

The green wire is the ground wire.

Under normal conditions, the ground wire does not carry electricity. But when a ground fault occurs, it will transfer the load to the circuit breaker. Due to the higher load, the circuit breaker will trip. This process protects you and your electrical appliances, and the ground wire serves as a second return path for electricity. It can be green wire or bare copper wire.

Remember about: Ground wires have a lower level of resistance. Therefore, electricity passes through them quite easily.

Can the neutral and ground wires be connected to the same busbar?

Well, the answer will vary depending on the panel type; main panel or additional panel.

Main service panels

This is the entry point of electricity into your home. The main panel has a 100 amp or 200 amp main switch depending on your home's overall electrical needs.

On these main panels, you will see that the ground and neutral wires are connected to the same busbar.

This is the only circumstance under which you are allowed to connect the ground and neutral wires to the same bus. This is required by the 2008 version of the National Electrical Code. So don't be surprised if you see white and bare copper wire on the same bus.

Cause

The main reason for the same connection of tires is a lightning strike.

Imagine for a moment that lightning enters your main panel. It can fry all your accessory panels, circuits, wires and appliances.

So, the neutral and ground wires are connected to the ground rod. This rod can send this misdirected electricity into the ground.

Remember about: You can set up one bus for neutral and ground wires on the main panel.

Subpanels

When it comes to sub-panels, it's a different story. Here is a simple explanation compared to the main panel to understand this question.

If the main service panel is properly grounded, any non-directional current will not flow to the auxiliary panel. Especially lightning. This way you don't have to connect ground and neutral wires to the same busbar.

Also, connecting ground and neutral to the same bus creates a parallel circuit; One circuit with a neutral wire and the other with a ground wire. Eventually, this parallel circuit will allow some of the electricity to flow through the ground wire. This may energize the metal parts of the circuits and result in electric shock.

Remember about: Using one ground bar and a neutral bar is the best method for an additional panel. Otherwise, you will face consequences.

How does alternating current work?

There are two forms of electricity; direct current and alternating current.

In direct current, electricity flows in one direction. For example, a car battery generates direct current. It has a negative end and a positive end. Electrons flow from minus to plus.

On the other hand, alternating current is the form of electricity that we use in our households.

As the name suggests, alternating current flows in both directions. This means that electrons move in both directions.

However, alternating current requires a hot and neutral wire to complete the circuit. Here are some key features of AC.

High efficiency when delivering through large scale networks.
Can travel long distances with high voltage.
Accordingly, it can be reduced to 120V.

I can't find the green wire on my home electrical outlet

In the past, the green wire, also known as the ground wire, was not used in most homes.

You may find yourself in this situation when you live in an old house. Lack of proper grounding can be dangerous. So, upgrade the electrical system in your home. Be sure to ground all electrical devices. (1)

A ground fault can occur at any time. Thus, it is safer to have an alternative path for the current to flow. Otherwise, you will be an alternative route for electricity.

Can a GFCI circuit breaker protect my home from ground faults?

GFCI, also known as ground fault circuit breaker, is a circuit breaker panel that can protect against ground faults.

They are larger than a conventional circuit breaker and are equipped with several additional buttons. Test and reset buttons give users much-needed flexibility.

These GFCI switches can sense the amount of current that enters and exits the circuit. When the switch detects an imbalance, it trips within one tenth of a second and disconnects the circuit.

You can find these switches in places where water comes into contact with electrical appliances. If electrical outlets are installed close by, these GFCI switches can be very useful.

Some may argue about having both an earth ground and a GFCI circuit breaker in the same household. But the safety of your family and home should be your top priority. So having both protections is not a bad idea. (2)

Summing up

In summary, if you are using a main panel, connecting ground and neutral to the same bus may be justified. But when it comes to an additional panel, install the earth bar and the neutral bar on the panel. Then connect the neutral and ground wires separately.

Don't risk the safety of your home through carelessness. Complete the connection process correctly. Hire an electrician for this task if necessary.

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