Electric Panel Safety

Posted by macks011 (macks04@…>)

Not long ago, there was a discussion about wiring the elec. panel
and one of the respondents brought up the issue of segregating the
AC from the DC. for safety reasons. On the face of it, it would seem
difficult to seperate AC from DC on a common panel, but there is an
easy solution.

  1. replace the common ground bus with a double bus (Blue Sea # 2700)
  2. run all your grounds common to one side and all the neutrals to
    the other.
  3. Remove the short run that connects the main neutral to the
    neutral panel bus and run a leg instead to the off panel bus.
  4. Cover the off panel bus with a small piece of scrap plexi and do
    the same over the breakers by wiretying a piece of plexi to the
    positive leads.

The on panel neutral bus is now in-active and the posi leads are
shielded. $25.00 crimps, wire, bus and plexi.

Posted by Dave_Benjamin (dave_benjamin@…>)

What was the rationale for separating the AC neutral and DC ground?
What was the risk? I think Calder or one of the other techie types
talks about this in one of the books. I’ll have time next week to do
some reading up. The reason I’m bringing it up is I think that there
are some compelling reasons for leaving the ground and neutral common
but I could be wrong.

— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “macks011” <macks04@o…> wrote:

Not long ago, there was a discussion about wiring the elec. panel
and one of the respondents brought up the issue of segregating the
AC from the DC. for safety reasons. On the face of it, it would seem
difficult to seperate AC from DC on a common panel, but there is an
easy solution.

  1. replace the common ground bus with a double bus (Blue Sea # 2700)
  2. run all your grounds common to one side and all the neutrals to
    the other.
  3. Remove the short run that connects the main neutral to the
    neutral panel bus and run a leg instead to the off panel bus.
  4. Cover the off panel bus with a small piece of scrap plexi and do
    the same over the breakers by wiretying a piece of plexi to the
    positive leads.

The on panel neutral bus is now in-active and the posi leads are
shielded. $25.00 crimps, wire, bus and plexi.

Posted by macks011 (macks04@…>)

There is a ongoing debate about this. The American YBC says combine
them. The Brits say split them. Combining reduces further the
potential of shock. Splitting reduces further the potential for
electrolysis. There are compelling arguments for both sides of the
question. It becomes a perceived risk issue. AYBC makes the
assessment and places perceived safety over electrolysis risk,
knowing full well the choice.

A simple desire to clean up the rats nest behind my elec. panel
seems to be headed towards an enforced graduate program in marine
elec. systems.

I can see where my previous post was possibly unclear.The post you
are responding to addresses an AC safety problem in
combined AC/DC panels whether or not you combine or seperate the AC
ground/DC negative. I am removing the possibility of shock or short
by moving the AC neutrals off the panel to a remote location,
shielding the bus from contact, and shielding the AC breakers on the
panel.

I still haven’t made the choice to connect or disconnect the AC
ground /DC negative yet, but now its a simple 30 second
task to connect or disconnect a wire.



— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “Dave_Benjamin”
<dave_benjamin@y…> wrote:

What was the rationale for separating the AC neutral and DC ground?
What was the risk? I think Calder or one of the other techie types
talks about this in one of the books. I’ll have time next week to
do
some reading up. The reason I’m bringing it up is I think that
there
are some compelling reasons for leaving the ground and neutral
common
but I could be wrong.

— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “macks011”
<macks04@o…> wrote:

Not long ago, there was a discussion about wiring the elec.
panel
and one of the respondents brought up the issue of segregating
the
AC from the DC. for safety reasons. On the face of it, it would
seem
difficult to seperate AC from DC on a common panel, but there is
an
easy solution.

  1. replace the common ground bus with a double bus (Blue Sea #
  1. run all your grounds common to one side and all the neutrals
    to
    the other.
  2. Remove the short run that connects the main neutral to the
    neutral panel bus and run a leg instead to the off panel bus.
  3. Cover the off panel bus with a small piece of scrap plexi and
    do
    the same over the breakers by wiretying a piece of plexi to the
    positive leads.

The on panel neutral bus is now in-active and the posi leads are
shielded. $25.00 crimps, wire, bus and plexi.