breaker box

[james prosise]

My neighbors breaker box in his home does not have the green screw connecting the grounding bar to the box itself. This is a new home and he wants to know if this will cause a problem. What are the possible consequences? electrolysis?

[rlskfoster]

It does not necessarily have to be a green screw. Most of the ones I see are the same material and color as the bus bar itself or it is a little flexible strap that is also the grey metal color. i would see if I could tell if there was a screw that goes throught the bus bar into the box.

If there was no bond screw or strap the panel enclosure and meter base itself would not be bonded to the grounding and grounded conductors.

Buster

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by james prosise

My neighbors breaker box in his home does not have the green screw connecting the grounding bar to the box itself. This is a new home and he wants to know if this will cause a problem. What are the possible consequences? electrolysis?

Is this the service panel or another panel downstream from the service?

Are you sure that it's the grounding bar and not the neutral bar?

Is the screw there and not attached or is there no screw?

If the grounding terminal really isn't bonded to the enclosure, then the enclosure won't be very well grounded, that's all. It might cause problems with arcing if a fault develops somewhere in the system. Electrolysis shouldn't be a concern.

- Jim Katen, Oregon