Neutral wire shouldn't bypass the service box

Electrical · System Grounding · printed page 91 (PDF page 92)

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Neutral Wires Bypassing the Service Box Service Box – Bypassed by Neutral Wires Electric Service – Box

Text in the illustration

to ground
the neutral wire should be attached to a terminal in the service box before proceeding to the distribution panel
the ground wire is attached to this terminal as well
60 AMPS
service box
to distribution panel

Generated explanation

The illustration shows an open service box containing a two-pole disconnect and two 60-amp cartridge fuses, with conductors entering above and continuing below to a distribution panel. Red and black conductors connect through the disconnect and fuse assembly. The neutral conductor runs along the right side of the enclosure, where a dashed highlight and arrow identify the neutral-terminal connection area. The annotations state that the neutral must attach to a terminal in the service box before continuing to the distribution panel, and that the grounding wire attaches to this terminal as well. The figure warns against bypassing this service-box neutral connection.