Pole Barn elect. panel bonding?

[Cox89XJ]

The outside of the pole barn is tin. The inter structure is wood. The electrical panel is not connected to any metal. Do I bond the panel to the tin or not? The inspector will be there tomorrow for the final inspection. He didn't mention it during the rough in and I didn't think to ask.
When I wired my complete metal building back in 06 where I used to live. He had me to bond the panel to the metal, but this building has all wood on the inside and no circuit comes in contact with the metal. If I don't hear from yall, I plan on going ahead and bonding it. I don't see where it would hurt anything. Actually, make it better. What do yall think?
Thanks

 

[KennyG]

I think we're missing some info here. Don't you have a ground rod to ground the panel? The metal won't provide a reliable ground. Bonding the panel to the siding sounds like a bad idea to me. You need a ground rod.

 

[Cox89XJ]

I think we're missing some info here. Don't you have a ground rod to ground the panel? The metal won't provide a reliable ground. Bonding the panel to the siding sounds like a bad idea to me. You need a ground rod.

Yes there is a ground rod installed at the building. I just need to know if I need to bond the tin to the panel box? When I wired my complete metal building back in 06, I had to bond the panel box to the metal even though all through the building at every receptacle and light switch box there was a bonding ground wire.

 

[jpm1]

For what it will cost to do it i believe its cheap insurance. I did mine years ago. Remember. . . the life you save may be YOURS! . . .John

 

[KennyG]

OK, now I understand. With a gounding rod, grounding the metal is probably a good practice. I was worried you were depending on the metal to be a ground.

 

[Raspy]

It sounds like a waste of time to me.

If you had a metal structure that was bolted together and bolted down, it would serve as a ground and a lightning path. It would have continuity throughout its structure and siding. But just grounding the sheeting that is over wood assures no current carrying capacity or even a circuit path from a sheet on the other side of the building. It won't get you a thing.

But definitely ground the panel and ground each electrical box, plug, light switch and light box. If your soil is sandy and dry, you could drive two rods 6 feet apart and connect them to your panel with a number six or number 4 wire. That makes it a main panel and gives it sufficient grounding. If it's just a sub panel, you could carry the ground back to the main, but local grounding is better.

What electrical source to the metal siding are you concerned about?

 

[powerpace]

A ground connection to the metal is not allowed.
Is there a Concrete slab. If the building is on slab a Ufer Ground is needed. The Ufer ground is attached to the rebar in the slab. This is in addition to the Ground Rods. In my area 3 ground rods ten feet apart plus a Ufer Ground is required.
Each area's soil conductivity determines the Ufer ground requirement.

 

[GregbkH]

Bonding the tin is a good idea. The ground rods at the building are for dissipating power surges from lightning. The equipment ground that is run with the main feed is the most important and that is tied in at the ground buss in the pole building along with the grounding electrode conductors from the ground rods. Grounding all metal parts and pipes is always recommended. Unless the pole barn has it's own service, the neutral buss shall not be bonded to the ground buss. This only happens at the service.

 

[Cox89XJ]

It passed final inspection. I didn't mention bonding to the tin, neither did he. He did check to see if I had bonded the ground bar to the box though.
On second thought, the tin is grounded to the # 4 solid copper wire going to the ground rod from the panel. I had to install a communication grounding bar for phone, TV etc. where they would enter the building. So the tin is grounded there. Just not bonded to the breaker panel box. Yet it is, if that makes any sense. (because the grounding bar is bonded to the panel box and the grounding bar is connected to the # 4 solid copper wire going to the ground rod.) The other 3 grounding rods 6ft. apart are located in the conduit ditch at the power distribution panel 145 feet away. The building is on a slab, but just reinforcing wire not rebar. Not required here. (yet). If grounding bar is used in a home foundation then we are suppose to connect them to the ground rod. I have not had any experience with that Yet either.
Thanks for all the help and replies.