Rural electrification.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+A)

Q I'm installing a 60-amp subpanel in my barn, which will be fed from the 200-amp main panel in my house. Do I run a ground from the house in addition to the black, red and white wires? Should the grounding and neutral bus bars be connected in the subpanel as they are back in the main panel?

A A grounding wire does need to run to the subpanel. It's installed for the same reason that grounding wires are installed in the branch circuits served by the main panel. They form a connection between the earth and metal components such as outlet and switch boxes, appliance cabinets and motor frames. The grounding wire does not normally carry current, but it plays a critical …