Add One Neutral Bus Connection ?

[kevharper]

Hello- I'm adding two double pole 20A 12-3 wire circuits to my breaker box for my basement. Each of the two 12-3 runs is split into two 110v circuits (alternating circuits between outlets along the run) with the neutral for each run being shared between the two alternating circuits.

Because I have two of these runs, I have to connect two white neutral wires to the neutral bar in my breaker box. Unfortulately, I only have one open connection on my neutral bar left.

This is my main panel for my house I'm working in (not a sub-panel). What do I have to do so I can get the extra neutral connection I need? Can I pigtail them (the two neutrals) together?

And before anyone asks, no my panel is not overloaded.

Thanks, Kevin

[hallerb]

screw a neutral bussbar neatly to the inside of your main breaker cabinet and add a heavy copper wire from the main neutral to the new bussbar, the neutral must be bonded to the existing one and to the cabinet

[kevharper]

I'll look into adding the bar. Are those available at HD or Lowes?

Since this is my main panel, can I just use one of the ground terminals (I have several free) for the additional neutral connection I need?

Thanks, Kevin

[Toller]

How are you distinquishing ground terminals from neutral terminals?

[Tony Hwang]

Hmmm, If your neutral bus is full, wonder if your panel is big enough?

[kevharper]

In my panel, all the white wires are connected to a bus on the left side of the panel. I'm calling the terminals on that bus the neutral terminals. On the right side, all the bare copper wires are connected to a bus which I'm calling the ground terminals.

IIRC, the two busses are connected so I think it would be OK to use one of the ground terminals for the connection of a neutral wire. But, I just wanted to double check here..

Thanks, Kevin

[kevharper]

Yes my box is definitely big enough it just seems there are several lightly loaded circuits. Plus I just added a dedicated one for my microwave.

The panel is a 150Amp Siemens model, BTW.

Thanks, Kevin

[Toller]

On all the main panels I have seen, neutrals and grounds have been randomly mixed. Other than possibly being confusing, I can't see what would be wrong with it.

I looked it up in the two electrical books I have. One does not mention it! The other refers to the "neutral/ground bus" and shows both the ground and neutral going to the same hole. I have seen move than one wire in hole frequently, but I thought they had to be on different circuits to discourage losing both your ground and neutral. Hmm.

[John Grabowski]

You may be able to double up some of the ground wires to make additional slots available for the new neutrals. Check the panel label to see what is permitted. Do not splice them together and put under one slot.

[kevharper]

John- I have extra terminals available on my ground bar (IIRC it has more connections on it) so doubling up grounds won't be required to make room for the neutral wire I need to find a home for.

So you are saying it's OK to put a neutral wire on the ground bar? That's what I'd like to do if it's permitted (rather than splicing together two neutrals or putting to wires under one screw).

Thanks, Kevin

[RBM]

Because this is your main panel, you don't isolate neutrals and grounds, so feel free to install neutrals on the buss where all the grounds are. The NEC permits doubling up on ground wires as John Grabowski pointed out, so you may be able to free up some lugs there

[Keith Williams]

Yes, take the make and model number with you and match them up.

For the entrance panel, yes. You can splice/pigtail in the box too (it is a junction box), but it's not ideal. If you put more than one wire in a lug make sure the box is rated for it.

[kevharper]

Thanks....

Because I'm in the main panel, I'll be substituting one of the open connection spots on my gound bus for a neutral connection. If anybody has any strong objections or warnings about doing that, please speak up.

Thanks, Kevin

[RBM]

On your main panel you don't have a neutral buss and a ground buss, you have two neutral/ground busses, that just happen to have all the neutrals on one side and all grounds on the other