Ground/Neutral Bonding install question

[KSever]

I'm in the before stages of installing the new 200 amp meter socket, 200 main breaker and 200 amp main panel in place of my 60 amp service. I will be also installing a 100 amp sub panel off the 200 amp main panel for the upstairs in place of the 60 amp fuse box. I understand and know most of the electrical codes for my area but don't understand the ground/neutral bonding. Why is this ground/neutral bonding used and is it only required in the main 200 amp panel or do I only do this in the main breaker right after the meter socket?

Can someone please explain this ground/neutral bonding to me?

[HayZee518]

if you were to feed the output cable from the meter socket directly into the panelbox, then the bare ground in the cable would go to the neutral strip WITH the bonding screw applied. however you stated that the meter output is going to a main disconnect switch, so everything after the disconnect switch is considered a sub-panel and thusly the neutral HAS to be isolated above equipment ground. Any equipment service related AFTER the disconnect needs an auxillary equipment ground bar. The neutral bonding screw is not used. That's why normel said you needed 4/0-SER - a sort of round cable with four conductors inside it.

[596]

The reason the neutral is not bonded to ground in sub panels is that that would result in neutral currents being split between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor. This would be a safety issue, as it is desirable that the ground conductor never carry current, except of course in the event of a fault.

[KSever]

Thanks for the responses and explanations, pretty nice having great people out here for just this reason.

Don't get me wrong I have done alot of wiring but mostly in sub panels and equipment in a commercial sitting. Guess it's time to learn to make the final hook up at the meter socket.