Sorry but this is actually far more dangerous. Apart from several code sections prohibiting this, in the real world many people do get injured from using a ground rod and no EGC as you did. Respectively, what you don’t realize is “earth” is a very poor conductor unless you live in a salt marsh. As a demonstration, if you were to grab the 120v leg off your 20A breaker and touch the “grounded” metal enclosure of your panel, what you’ld likely see is the 50A breaker does not trip even though this is clearly a line-ground fault. The reason is not nearly enough current can travel through the high resistance ground back to your NG bond at the main to trip the breaker & clear the fault. As a result, your metal enclosure will stay energized and no one would be the wiser. Good luck
My sub panel has a ground run from the main. Neutral separate on the sub panel in the garage. There is an additional ground bar connected to the sub panel. I also have a ground at the other end of my detached garage for my solar Inverter.
Ooph. Should have run a ground from your house panel to your sub.
what everyone says. I have a ground for the garage itself. Technically much safer that way.
Sorry but this is actually far more dangerous. Apart from several code sections prohibiting this, in the real world many people do get injured from using a ground rod and no EGC as you did. Respectively, what you don’t realize is “earth” is a very poor conductor unless you live in a salt marsh.
As a demonstration, if you were to grab the 120v leg off your 20A breaker and touch the “grounded” metal enclosure of your panel, what you’ld likely see is the 50A breaker does not trip even though this is clearly a line-ground fault. The reason is not nearly enough current can travel through the high resistance ground back to your NG bond at the main to trip the breaker & clear the fault. As a result, your metal enclosure will stay energized and no one would be the wiser. Good luck
My sub panel has a ground run from the main. Neutral separate on the sub panel in the garage. There is an additional ground bar connected to the sub panel. I also have a ground at the other end of my detached garage for my solar Inverter.