Insulate neutral bar from main panel?

Adding multiwire kitchen circuit, I see my neutral bar is already full- in fact overloaded, with two wires under some screws- this is incorrect, no? or ok, depending on wire guage? So, planning to add extra neutral bar, connecting this to existing bar. Can I just screw new bar to back of panel, or does it have to sit on insulators? This is main panel, Crouse Hinds model 14 type G, 200A service. I am mindful of torque requirements, inadvisability of putting heavy loads on "skinnies" (have to switch a few circuits to these to make space). I do realize I'm near the limit on this panel. Just not up to springing for a new one just yet.

Reply to
Sev
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The panel should say if two conductors can be attached to each lug. Your new ground/neutral detail should not be insulated from panel body. I would recommend running a decent size conductor from the original bar to the new one

Reply to
RBM

Hi,

200 Amp main panel is crowded? You must have a pretty big house. My kitchen is served by a sub panel. Better have two bars connected together via another short bar across or heavy braid.
Reply to
Tony Hwang

Crowding is usually a function of a panel with too few slots, not Amp capacity. I have a 200A 40 space QO panel in my average sized house and I have only a few spaces left.

Reply to
Pete C.

As RBM said out about a year ago, ground wires may not be doubled up.

Common practice would be to add a ground bar. I believe that as of the

2008 NEC you may not connect neutral wires to a ground bar (you wouldn't think of doing that except in a service panel anyway). (You could if you ran a conductor between neutral and ground bars as RBM suggested; an inspector might want it sized to carry the max neutral current.)

If you are not actually pushing the amp capacity of the service, you could add a subpanel adjacent to the service panel (or somewhere else). You only need to replace the service panel if you are running out of amp capacity. That is - actual current that is being used at some time, not total of breaker ratings. (Technically you need to replace it if the "service calculation" is larger than 200A.) Like Pete, my kid has a 200A

40 space panel and is down to 1 space in a not-all-that-large house.

The 2008 NEC also requires 2 pole breakers for multiwire circuits.

Reply to
bud--

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