I'm going to be replacing the breaker box in my condo and I'm looking more to the details now. I see that the main service entrance cable ground has some goo where is connected to the ground bar in the breaker box, see picture pls. Is this something normal I should get and apply when I install the new panel? or is it nothing to worry about? Thanks
Electrical – What’s the goo on the ground cable in the breaker box
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Yes, you can add an insulated ground bar in the can (you should be able to get one specifically designed for your particular can, but here's what they look like):
.. and then connect it to the other ground bar using a piece of #4 AWG (solid bare copper, or stranded THHN insulated) assuming you're still at 200 amps. This guarantees that the green bonding screw that's actually bonding your neutral on the other bar will affect both bars if it is removed. It's common to add these for isolated grounds, where they're connected to a different ground altogether instead of the other bar.
Note - the one you buy may come with its own bonding screw, and the appropriate tapped hole to receive it - so check for that prior to connecting the two together (IOW, read the installation notes that came with it).
Yes, the neutral can be bonded at the meter. National Electrical Code 250.24(A)(1).
Here's a YouTube video where Mike Holt discusses this topic.
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Best Answer
It looks to be anti-oxidant that's gotten...crusty
Normal practice when terminating aluminum wires (such as the feeder to your condo) is to use an anti-oxidant paste or compound when making the connection -- this is said to keep aluminum oxide from forming between the joint surfaces and causing a high-resistance (read: bad) connection.
What you're seeing is likely an excess of anti-oxidant compound from the original installation, that's simply accumulated crud over the years. You or your electrician will be cleaning it off and putting new stuff on as part of the installation process for the new panel.