Bonding of Grounding and Neutral Conductors

Introduction

Bonding the grounding and neutral conductors is a crucial safety practice in electrical systems. Proper bonding helps prevent electric shock and protects equipment in the event of a ground fault. In this article, I will explain in depth the reasons for bonding, where bonding should occur, and the methods used for connecting the grounding and neutral conductors.

What is Bonding?

Bonding refers to the permanent joining of the grounded circuit conductor (neutral) and the grounding conductors in an electrical system. This provides a low-impedance path for fault currents to flow, ensuring enough current flows to trip circuit breakers and blow fuses.

Some key points on bonding:

Reasons for Bonding Neutral and Ground

There are several important reasons why the neutral and grounding conductors must be bonded together:

Where Should Bonding be Installed?

Proper bonding must occur in the right locations to be safe and code compliant. Some key bonding points include:

Methods of Connecting Neutral and Ground

Some common methods used to bond the neutral and grounding conductors include:

Conclusion

Bonding the neutral and grounding conductors is a vital safety practice required by electrical codes. Properly bonding the neutral and ground establishes an intentional, low-impedance ground fault current path. This quickly de-energizes any ground faults before dangerous voltages can persist. Bonding connections must be made in the right locations to be effective and safe. A variety of permanent bonding methods can be used to ensure a solid, lasting connection between the neutral and ground conductors. Following proper bonding procedures is critical for operating overcurrent devices, eliminating shock hazards, and safely returning fault currents.