Generic Ground Bars

[jar546]

Can you install a generic equipment ground bar inside a panel board?

For example, can you install a GB equipment ground bar in a Square-D panel board when Square-D has a ground bar available with specs and instructions for said panel?

 

[wwhitney]

Sure, no problem. If you want the ground bar bonded to the case, you'll need to ensure that the connection complies with 250.8(A).

But even without that, if you also have a factory ground bar, you could just run a jumper from that factory ground bar to the off-brand ground bar. Then your off-brand ground bar is just a glorified wire nut connecting multiple EGCs together to the jumper to the factory ground bar.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[fatboy]

My random thought on this was that yes, you can do it, following the requirements.

But does it violate the listing for the panel?

 

[wwhitney]

But does it violate the listing for the panel?

No.

Remember, the panelboard itself is just the guts inside the can, not the entire enclosure and anything within it. Manufacturers usually sell panelboards preinstalled in a purpose sized enclosure, but you can get them without an enclosure and install them inside your own properly sized enclosure (see wire bending space in NEC 312.6). There's no prohibition on installing third party accessories inside the same enclosure as a panelboard. And if that accessory is a ground bar, that's not substantiely different than using a large wire nut to combine multiple ECGs into one.

Cheers, Wayne