heavy gauge bare copper wire

[solutions]

This thick heavy gauge bare copper wire runs from the inside of my breaker panel down through the inside of a framed wall perhaps into the earth.....(some nearby work with sheet rock allowed me to see this in wall) I do not see or feel or for that matter either does a digital picture of this wire being fastened to an old nearby dead galvanized water supply pipe.. However, this is the part that seems a bit odd to me right now.... this bare copper wire is not connected or fastned to anything in the breaker panel!? Is there a test they/I can do to find out if it is connected down below somewhere? should this wire be connected to the breaker panel.. Maybe it will provide a ground for all receptacles... In addition if this helps: Several years ago they upgraded the service to a 125.I now have two breaker panels one inside, the 125 panel outside The electricians called it a piggy back.

Thanks all!!

[Bob NH]

The wire should be connected to the neutral either in the meter socket or in the panel with the main disconnect, which is the first service panel after the meter.

In your case it might be connected to the neutral bar in the outside breaker panel.

[hj]

It could be the UFER wire connected into the metal in your foundation. It should be connected to the terminal strip in the panel.