Electrical – run a ground wire along the outside of conduit

electricalsubpanelwiring

I have a sub panel on back of house. From main in garage is three wire. 2 hot one neutral. NO GROUND WIRE. Sub has a single bar used as neutral and grounds. Its bonded to case (Screw in). I will add a ground only bar, a ground to earth rod and wire them together. I cannot get the snake all the way through the conduit to pull a ground wire.

Can I run a separate ground wire alongside the conduit to the sub?

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Update/clarifications:

Thank you Speters. ArchonOSX, I understand there should be a common ground back to the main, I do not have that. Currently (pre-existing), I have a 3wire 50 amp gfci breaker for a spa in this SUB. Its the only circuit. I was advised to Isolate the neutral bar and add a ground bar, bonding it to earth; Where new circuits utilize the ground bar. In this config would I be protected and no SUB/main panel metal become energized if a short occurred?

Best Answer

Absolutely, you can run a separate ground - they have allowed this for a long time and have recently liberalized the rules on retrofitting grounds to practically everything else. So if you have other outlets that could also use a ground, food for thought.

The grounds do not need to follow the same route as the original wiring. They do need to be thick enough for their purpose. Also, other circuits can share a ground wire, as long as they originate from the same panel.

Should you do it? Absolutely! The problem is, right now you have the NEMA 10 problem. Normally if a neutral wire breaks, the neutral wire is pulled up toward 120V because power has nowhere to return, but we don't care because the grounding system still protects us. Now, if ground is also the same wire (like in NEMA 10), it too will be pulled up toward 120V - and now things which are supposed to be grounded will instead shock you! Including switch plate screws, metal chassis of equipment, and of course, the metal chassis of your subpanel, which you will be opening directly when you realize there's a problem. Touch that and a water pipe, and blammo!