I just opened my electrical box for the first time and saw that the ground wire and neutral wires are connected to the same spot inside the box. Is this supposed to be this way? 
I'm planning to install new circuit breaker and just wanted to make sure. Thanks
-
You might want to be concerned about the 15A breaker that has two wires under the screw. (Left side, above the unused 20s.) Some breakers are made for that; others aren't. I'm also a little curious about the red wire above that on a breaker that's not handle tied to its neighbor. (Search MWBC.)– Aloysius DefenestrateMar 5 at 2:17
-
That's weird! I just noticed the 2 wires going into the 15amp circuit. I guess I can remove the unused 20amp and put in a 15amp there. About the red wire, when you say it's not handle tied to its neighbor, I'm trying to understand what that means..– SamMar 5 at 5:37
-
If the breaker doesn’t want two hots under one screw, you can pigtail the two wires and have a new wire going to the breaker.– Aloysius DefenestrateMar 5 at 14:28
-
Regarding the red wire, I suggest a new question, “How do I tell if two breakers should be handle tied?” Give your location, and try to identify the circuits covered by the red wire and the same amperage black above it. Hint: check the tops and bottoms of receptacles for current when you’ve flipped one of the breakers.– Aloysius DefenestrateMar 5 at 14:32
-
A good picture of the breakers showing their labeling never hurts.– Aloysius DefenestrateMar 5 at 14:33
|
Show 1 more comment
1 Answer
That is correct and normal for a main circuit breaker box.
-
1See also past discussion about "bonding" neutral and ground at the main breaker box.– keshlamMar 5 at 0:06
-
I know I have learnt a lot since I have been on this site in the last year or two, but if you ask me right now if my neutral and ground bus are bonded in my main panel(they should be), I could not give an answer right now(did not pay attention), and I did 95% of the work(late 70s/early 80s) connecting the branch circuits in it. I followed what the electricians did what I read in a big book.– crip659Mar 5 at 0:14