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	Subject - Grounding Question David Hyatt I know the answer but, is there some exception to the grounding of a house panel on a commercial building? The reason I am asking is I started a fire job today with 3 meters one of which is a house panel. It was wired not many years back, all I have to do is replace some wiring and one panel inside. When re-securing the meters and panel outside I noticed the house panel was only grounded to the ground rod. Not building steel or water pipe. Am I missing something????? stedder Is there a common bond inside the building? In a trough or tap box? David Hyatt Not sure what you mean. The pnael is screwed to the metal building on the outside? lctrc789 Three meters each have their own ground or in the same meter panel as a 3 gang meter base? I don't know what you have, but here if you have a house panel and say two meters on one base then they can be be grounded, as per code water, ground rod, and building. The house panel must be grounded as per code as well ground rod and more but if they are ran in a troft or sq duct and all pralleled together and have the same common ground then you would be OK. stedder If the meters are correctly grounded and the outside panel you're talking about is bonded to the meters (as you would any standard service) either through the service neutral and an apropriately sized grounding system you s/b ok. David Hyatt So are you implying that grounding only on of the three panels to the structure and water piping is OK????????? lctrc789 Every main neutral bar has to be grounded and have a primary and secondary ground (i.e.) Ground rod and water ground or similair. The panels have to be bonded to the neutral and the grounds in the main as well this would bond all common metal parts. Steel or metal buildings should have the metal and or steel grounded to the service in some fashion. stedder Sorry, what I mean is each panel must be grounded and bonded but if they are bonded as a system, say 2, 100 amp and 1, 200 amp and only one bonding conductor is used to connect all three panels, the bond would have to be sized to accommodate a 400 amp service. At least that’s what I’ve had to do in the past. (actually it was cheaper and easier to run separate smaller equipment grounds / bonds.) So, no you are not missing something, what you're thinking is correct, all should be bonded accordingly.