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Replacing an old fuse panel with a new breaker panel, and a remote fuse sub-panel (on the other side of the basement) with a new breaker sub-panel. There is no water pipe anywhere near the incoming service and no ground rods.

I plan on installing two ground rods (but existing the incoming service appears to have a ground) and then bonding the main panel ground to the nearest water pipe. I will bond the sub-panel to the main panel using a separate ground bar and keeping the neutrals isolated from ground in the remote sub-panel.

Do I ground both the existing service ground and the ground rods at the main panel? Does this sound like the best way to go?

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    What wiring method was used for the existing wiring?
    – ThreePhaseEel
    Commented May 20, 2019 at 23:13
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    Can you post photos of the inside of both panels please, even?
    – ThreePhaseEel
    Commented May 31, 2019 at 23:24

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Yes the utility grounded conductor and your grounding electrodes are connected in your main service panel, if you use driven rods for your electrodes #6 copper is all that is needed from the rods back to the panel.

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  • The existing wiring is a bit of a challenge; they didn't carry a neutral to the sub-panel and I cannot find any connection to the water pipes- nor are there any pipes withing 20 feet of the Service Entrance. Is my only and best option may be to install the ground rods, ground the new breaker panel to rods as well as the incoming utility ground, and then run a ground wire to the water pipes? Thank you for your answers.
    – Tom
    Commented May 31, 2019 at 15:43
  • Thank you for clarifying that point. One more question: Can I run two 30 amp circuits from a single junction box? The home run to the box is going to be protected with a 30 amp breaker. I know this is common for 120v, just not sure if that applies to 240v as weel
    – Tom
    Commented Jun 5, 2019 at 16:53
  • If you run your equipment ground to the water pipe , most say that the bond must be made within 5’ of the pipe entering the home, code makes it sound like any place is ok and I have asked this question of several inspectors after quoting the code section and my responses were mixed with the 5’ rule to anyplace on the metal piping as long as 10’ is in contact with earth.
    – Ed Beal
    Commented Jun 5, 2019 at 18:48
  • You can have more than 1 branch circuit in a junction box 120 or 240v , make sure the wire fill is appropriate for the box size. Note that 30amp 120v circuits are extremely rare, motor home receptacles is the place that they are common, other than they may be on motor load circuits but not normal for 120v in residential wiring.
    – Ed Beal
    Commented Jun 5, 2019 at 18:54

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