Running from 200amp main to 100amp breaker in sub

[willow57]

Greetings:

I have a 200 amp Cutler Hammer 40/80 BR type breakers load center. I will be installing a subpanel. Home depot had a special on a smaller version load center 20/40 BR which comes with a 100 amp breaker, etc.. My question is how to install it from the main center?. I will use a 100 amp breaker from the main using #2 aluminum (short distance) to the sub. It looks like the neutral bus has a leg down to the ground with a green screw which I believe I have to remove to keep the ground and neutral separate. So would #2 ground to ground, neutral to neutral, black (2) to breaker be the correct way to hook it up?

Also, the green grounding screws are on its bar attached to the panel while the neutrals are elevated off the panel by a plastic bridge (I will remove the leg connection to the panel/ground). However there is only one large lug nut on one of the two neutral bars to which I would install the white neutral. The other neutral doesn?t seem connected to the panel except by plastic bridge where the 100 amp breaker sits on its bus bar-there is a black bridge to the neutral bar. Does this compensate for the other half of the two white neutral bars or do I need to run a white wire from the one side neutral with the lug nut to the other side?

Thanks

[Jim Katen]

Greetings:

I have a 200 amp Cutler Hammer 40/80 BR type breakers load center. I will be installing a subpanel. Home depot had a special on a smaller version load center 20/40 BR which comes with a 100 amp breaker, etc.. My question is how to install it from the main center?. I will use a 100 amp breaker from the main using #2 aluminum (short distance) to the sub. It looks like the neutral bus has a leg down to the ground with a green screw which I believe I have to remove to keep the ground and neutral separate. So would #2 ground to ground, neutral to neutral, black (2) to breaker be the correct way to hook it up?

Yes.

Also, the green grounding screws are on its bar attached to the panel while the neutrals are elevated off the panel by a plastic bridge (I will remove the leg connection to the panel/ground). However there is only one large lug nut on one of the two neutral bars to which I would install the white neutral. The other neutral doesn?t seem connected to the panel except by plastic bridge where the 100 amp breaker sits on its bus bar-there is a black bridge to the neutral bar. Does this compensate for the other half of the two white neutral bars or do I need to run a white wire from the one side neutral with the lug nut to the other side?

Look at it more carefully. That "plastic" bridge might only be plastic coated.

[willow57]

Thanks Jim:

I looked more closely and noticed I missed something the first time around. Off of both neutral bars (not just the side of the breaker) and running perpendicular to the bar is a plastic coated metal bar that looks like it crosses underneath the hot buses connecting the neutrals to each other and isolating it from any metal because of the plastic. That's probably what you were inferring. So then the neutrals are connected. Great.

Would you also suggest some antiox for the alum anywhere the wire touches metal?

Thanks a lot!

[Jim Katen]

. . . Would you also suggest some antiox for the alum anywhere the wire touches metal?

Sure, but don't overdo it.