True or False: Distribution panels should have the neutral and ground conductors bonded together.

Distribution panels should not have the neutral and ground conductors bonded together in a typical residential or most commercial electrical systems. In these systems, the neutral and ground conductors are intentionally kept separate to enhance safety and reduce the risk of electrical shock or fire hazards.

The primary reason for this separation is to ensure that the ground system is only used for fault conditions and provides a low-resistance path for fault current to ground, while the neutral carries the return current during normal operation. If the neutrals and grounds are bonded together in other panels downstream from the main service panel, it can create parallel paths for grounding and potentially energize metal enclosures or other conductive materials, posing a danger.

In residential installations, the only permitted bond between the neutral and ground typically occurs at the main service panel, where the utility supply connects. This ensures a reference point and helps maintain the integrity of the grounding system throughout the entire electrical system. Therefore, in accordance with the National Electrical Code (NEC), the answer is that it is false; they should not be bonded together at distribution panels outside of the main service panel.