Brutus wiring

[Nightbrew]

Ok, so in the process of my brutus type build and I have some wiring questions. Lonnies plans show a ground,neutral, and hot bus bars. Are all these the same thing? If so doesnt the hot bar need to be insulated? If they are not the same thing, where do I buy neutral and hot bus bars? Not much of an electrician as you can tell.

 

[jfrizzell]

A 120V cord has three wires - hot (black) / neutral (white) and ground (green). No, these aren't all the same thing. All three need to be wired to separate bus bars or terminal strips.

I picked up three of these for my "bus bars":
http://www.ebay.com/itm/350427751673?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_1004wt_1219

No offense, but you might want to read up on electricity a bit before you wire your system. Better safe than dead or blowing up components.

 

[praetoriv]

Dear lord, please get some help from someone who knows electricity and proper wiring.

 

[krazydave]

Sounded like he was questioning the bus bars themselves, not so much whether hot, ground, and neutral were the same.

I get the feeling that he knows that difference but has never messed with bus bars. So it seems like a legit question to me.

So, to answer that question...
The bus bars are the same, a hot bus bar doesn't need to be shielded unless it's someplace you intend to be sticking your hand while it's hot. I would not be sticking your hand into a hot control panel, so unshielded is perfectly fine. The bars posted above will work great and do actually have covers.

 

[Nightbrew]

Thanks Krazydave, you read into my question perfectly. I cant get jfrizzell's link to work for some reason. I have picked up the following ground bar kit. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Square-D-QO-HomeLine-Grounding-Bar-Kit-PK7GTA-NEW-/130482024689

So would one of these each work for the ground,neutral and hot bus bar. I just figured if the bar was hot and bolted/screwed directly to the control panel/stand that it would ground it out. But maybe it will ground through the plug since it is the path of least resistance. Tell me if I am on the right track, thanks again

 

[jawilson20]

Thanks Krazydave, you read into my question perfectly. I cant get jfrizzell's link to work for some reason. I have picked up the following ground bar kit. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Square-D-QO-HomeLine-Grounding-Bar-Kit-PK7GTA-NEW-/130482024689

So would one of these each work for the ground,neutral and hot bus bar. I just figured if the bar was hot and bolted/screwed directly to the control panel/stand that it would ground it out. But maybe it will ground through the plug since it is the path of least resistance. Tell me if I am on the right track, thanks again

There are some folks on this forum that will jump down the throat of any user that has the slightest question re: electrical. I have had been told that I am going to kill myself countless times. Basically, even if you understand the principles of electricity, but do not know how to apply them to a control panel you will be assumed to be an idiot an get countless "hire and electrician", "my god, please don't do this", or the simple "you are going to die" attacks.

For my panel and understanding of the bus bars, I relied on Colinsbrew panel build here. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/finally-wooden-single-tier-underway-289595/index8.html#post3982251

 

[krazydave]

Thanks Krazydave, you read into my question perfectly. I cant get jfrizzell's link to work for some reason. I have picked up the following ground bar kit. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Square-D-QO-HomeLine-Grounding-Bar-Kit-PK7GTA-NEW-/130482024689

So would one of these each work for the ground,neutral and hot bus bar. I just figured if the bar was hot and bolted/screwed directly to the control panel/stand that it would ground it out. But maybe it will ground through the plug since it is the path of least resistance. Tell me if I am on the right track, thanks again

You shouldn't use those bars for neutral and hot. The reason being that these are intended to screw directly to your control panel and create a contact between the ground and your box (assuming its metal). If you used the same ones fir your hot and neutral, you'd essentially be creating a direct short via your box.

The ones you want for hot and neutral should isolate the electrical from the box itself. Not sure why his link isn't working for you though. I'd look up some more but I'm posting from my phone which makes doing so a pain.

 

[JuanMoore]

Thanks Krazydave, you read into my question perfectly. I cant get jfrizzell's link to work for some reason. I have picked up the following ground bar kit. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Square-D-QO-HomeLine-Grounding-Bar-Kit-PK7GTA-NEW-/130482024689

So would one of these each work for the ground,neutral and hot bus bar. I just figured if the bar was hot and bolted/screwed directly to the control panel/stand that it would ground it out. But maybe it will ground through the plug since it is the path of least resistance. Tell me if I am on the right track, thanks again

Try copying and pasting the link address. Thanks to the lame redirecting on this site, neither your link or his works by simply clicking on it. And as krazydave said, your initial instincts are correct, that type of bus bar for the hot would cause it to short out. It will work for the ground, but you need to use insulated bus bars for the neutral and hot.

 

[Nightbrew]

Thanks guys I found them at lowes this morning. They were not by the ground bar kits, I was just having trouble finding them. Thanks for the help.

 

[praetoriv]

Oh $hit My bad. Sorry. I read the question wrong. I get a little over zealous. Worse case scenario is your going to plug it in and pop a breaker. Krazy and Juan are correct.

Side note: I have been working electrical in the oil field for the past 10 years and last July I took 480v across the chest. Nearly killed me. I've moved on with my career.

 

[Nightbrew]

No problem praetoriv, I am a forester for an electric utility, the horrors of electricity are in my mind everyday. Good thing for me it is up off the ground and not a danger, most of the time.

 

[jfrizzell]

There are some folks on this forum that will jump down the throat of any user that has the slightest question re: electrical. I have had been told that I am going to kill myself countless times. Basically, even if you understand the principles of electricity, but do not know how to apply them to a control panel you will be assumed to be an idiot an get countless "hire and electrician", "my god, please don't do this", or the simple "you are going to die" attacks.

For my panel and understanding of the bus bars, I relied on Colinsbrew panel build here. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/finally-wooden-single-tier-underway-289595/index8.html#post3982251

Not sure if you're talking about my comment, but I'm not attacking anyone and didn't see anyone else do it either. My comments are out of concern for someone's safety. From the wording of the question it sounded like there was a serious lack of understanding of electricity.

 

[jfrizzell]

Here's the item number from my link.

Item #: 350427751673

 

[jawilson20]

Not sure if you're talking about my comment, but I'm not attacking anyone and didn't see anyone else do it either. My comments are out of concern for someone's safety. From the wording of the question it sounded like there was a serious lack of understanding of electricity.

Talking about comments towards me mainly. Really just trying to prep the user for the verbal belittling he is likely to get as he continues to pose electrical questions to this forum.