Ground Bar Terminal, Hole, Port and Lug Counts -

Ground bars are available with different numbers of terminals, conductor holes, ports, and cable-lug positions. Common configurations range from a compact 3 terminal ground bar to a long 40 terminal ground bar used in larger electrical cabinets, industrial machinery, telecom racks, and grounding assemblies.

The correct configuration is not determined only by the number in the product name. Buyers must also confirm which openings are conductor terminals, screw holes, mounting holes, threaded ports, or lug positions. A product described as a 5 terminal ground bar, for example, may include five conductor connections plus two separate mounting holes.

For a broader overview of materials, terminal structures, mounting methods, and grounding applications, see our grounding terminal bar and ground busbar manufacturer guide.

Carsai manufactures custom brass, copper, tinned copper, and aluminum ground bars with non-standard terminal counts, conductor capacities, hole patterns, mounting dimensions, and surface treatments.

3-way and 5-way brass terminal busbar blocks with screw terminals for neutral and grounding connections

What Does the Terminal Count Mean?

The terminal count normally refers to the number of usable electrical connection positions on the ground bar.

A terminal may consist of:

A side-entry conductor hole with a pressure screw
A threaded hole for a bolt
A fixed stud with a nut and washer
A through-hole for a cable lug
A mechanical lug mounted on the bar
A two-hole compression-lug pattern

The stated number should not normally include mounting holes unless the supplier explicitly uses total hole count in the product description.

For example, a 5 terminal ground bar may physically contain:

Five side-entry conductor holes
Five threaded pressure-screw holes
Two mounting holes

The finished part therefore has twelve visible holes, but only five electrical terminals.

A drawing should distinguish between:

Conductor-entry holes
Pressure-screw holes
Lug or stud positions
Mounting holes
Insulator mounting points

Terminal, Hole, Port and Lug: Are They the Same?

These words are often used interchangeably in product searches, but they can describe different physical features.

Terminal

A terminal is a usable connection position for a grounding or bonding conductor.

Hole

A hole is a physical opening in the bar. It may be used for a conductor, screw, bolt, cable lug, or product mounting.

Port

A port generally refers to a conductor-entry position or cable connection opening. Searches such as 5 port ground bar and 8 port ground bar usually describe bars with five or eight conductor connections.

Lug

A lug may be a separate mechanical connector installed on the ground bar or a bolted connection intended for a cable lug. A 5 lug ground bar normally provides five lug-style grounding positions rather than five small direct wire-entry holes.

Because these descriptions are not completely standardized, dimensional drawings are important for custom production.

3-Terminal Ground Bar

A 3 terminal ground bar is suitable for compact equipment containing only a few grounding conductors.

Typical applications include:

Small control boxes
Sensors and instrumentation
Compact machinery
Lighting equipment
Small power supplies
Auxiliary electrical enclosures
Equipment bonding connections

A three-terminal design may contain:

Three equal wire-entry positions
One main grounding input and two outputs
Three threaded studs
Three bolted cable-lug connections
Two branch terminals plus one enclosure-bonding point

The bar may be machined from brass for direct screw connections or copper for larger bolted conductors.

4-Terminal Ground Bar

A 4 terminal ground bar provides four grounding connection positions.

Possible arrangements include:

Four equal conductor holes
One larger input and three smaller outputs
Four M4 or M5 pressure-screw terminals
Four threaded cable-lug positions
Two pairs of terminals for separate equipment sections

A compact four-terminal bar can be mounted directly onto an electrical panel or installed on simple plastic supports.

The customer should specify whether the mounting hardware must create a conductive bond with the enclosure or whether a separate bonding cable will be used.

5-Terminal Ground Bar

The 5 terminal ground bar is a common configuration for small and medium electrical assemblies.

It may be used in:

Distribution boards
Control panels
Industrial machinery
Meter cabinets
Renewable-energy equipment
Telecom enclosures
Battery and power-conversion cabinets

A typical design may include:

Five direct wire-entry holes
Five top pressure screws
Two end mounting holes
Brass or copper conductive body
Optional plastic mounting supports
One larger grounding input

The terminal pitch and cable-hole diameter can be customized according to conductor size.

Ground Bar 5 Hole

The phrase ground bar 5 hole can describe a five-position grounding bar, but the meaning should be confirmed.

Five holes may mean:

Five conductor holes
Five threaded bolt holes
Five cable-lug positions
Three terminal holes plus two mounting holes
One two-hole lug pattern plus three other connections

The drawing should state the function, diameter, and thread requirement of every hole.

A five-hole product intended for cable lugs may have a very different shape and spacing from a direct wire-clamping ground bar.

5-Port Ground Bar

A 5 port ground bar normally provides five cable-entry ports.

Each port may use:

A top pressure screw
A side clamping screw
A mechanical lug
A threaded insert
A bolt-and-nut connection

The port sizes can be identical or customized for different conductors.

One possible arrangement is:

One large incoming grounding port
Four smaller outgoing equipment-grounding ports

The product may therefore have five usable electrical ports while also containing separate mounting and screw holes.

5-Lug Ground Bar

A 5 lug ground bar normally uses separate lugs or bolted cable connections instead of five small wire-entry holes.

Possible designs include:

Five mechanical cable lugs mounted on one copper bar
Five threaded studs for ring terminals
Five bolted compression-lug positions
One large main lug and four smaller branch lugs
Five two-hole lug patterns on a telecom grounding busbar

Important lug specifications include:

Cable capacity
Lug material
Bolt-hole diameter
Lug palm width
Center-to-center spacing
Number of conductors per lug
Bolt or stud size
Tightening torque

A lug-type ground bar usually requires more installation space than a compact screw-terminal bar.

6-Terminal Ground Bar

A 6 terminal ground bar is widely used in distribution panels, machinery, and electrical cabinets.

Typical designs include:

Six equal screw terminals
One incoming connection plus five outputs
Six threaded studs
Six direct wire-entry ports
Mixed terminal sizes

Brass is commonly selected for compact six-terminal bars because it provides good thread durability. Copper may be preferred when lower resistance or larger conductor capacity is required.

The product can be supplied as a bare bar, assembled with screws, or mounted on plastic insulating brackets.

7-Terminal Ground Bar

A 7 terminal ground bar is useful when an equipment layout requires an exact non-standard terminal quantity.

Custom manufacturing avoids the need to install a longer eight- or ten-position bar with unused terminals.

A seven-terminal product may contain:

Seven equal conductor positions
One input and six outputs
Seven small outputs plus a separate main lug
Mixed screw and cable-lug connections
Different conductor-hole diameters

The overall length, pitch, and mounting-hole spacing can be designed around the available enclosure space.

8-Terminal and 8-Port Ground Bars

An 8 terminal ground bar normally provides eight defined grounding terminals.

An 8 port ground bar generally describes the same terminal capacity when each connection uses a conductor-entry port. However, the exact structure may differ.

An eight-position bar may include:

Eight side-entry conductor holes
Eight top pressure screws
One additional large incoming grounding connection
Two mounting holes
Plastic end supports
Terminal identification numbers

If the main grounding terminal is separate, the finished product may have nine electrical connections even though it is sold as an eight-port outgoing ground bar.

9-Terminal Ground Bar

A 9 terminal ground bar can be manufactured for panels with nine equipment-grounding conductors or a combination of incoming and outgoing connections.

Typical arrangements include:

Nine equal terminals
One input and eight outputs
Nine outputs plus a separate incoming lug
Three groups of three terminals
Mixed terminal and lug connections

Nine-position ground bars are less standardized than 8-, 10-, or 12-terminal products, making a dimensional drawing especially important.

9-Hole Ground Bar

A 9 hole ground bar may refer to nine conductor positions, but it can also describe the total number of physical holes.

For example, a nine-hole bar might have:

Seven conductor terminals and two mounting holes
Nine cable-lug holes
Eight outgoing holes and one incoming hole
One two-hole lug pattern plus seven smaller terminals

The buyer should confirm whether “nine-hole” refers to electrical terminals only or all openings in the metal component.

10-Terminal Ground Bar

A 10 terminal ground bar is a common option for electrical panels, machinery, telecom cabinets, and medium-sized enclosures.

A typical ten-terminal design may use:

Brass rectangular bar
Ten direct wire-entry holes
Ten pressure screws
Two end mounting holes
One additional large incoming terminal
Plastic support brackets

The product can also be manufactured as a copper bar with ten threaded or bolted cable-lug positions.

When a larger incoming terminal is included, the drawing should specify whether it is counted as one of the ten terminals.

12-Terminal Ground Bar

A 12 terminal ground bar provides enough connection positions for larger distribution boards and multi-component equipment.

Common applications include:

Electrical distribution panels
Industrial control cabinets
Renewable-energy equipment
Generator panels
Telecom racks
Server cabinets
Battery energy-storage systems

The bar may have twelve equal terminals or combine one main input with several smaller outputs.

A long twelve-position bar may require:

Additional metal thickness
A central support
Greater control of straightness
More space for conductor routing
Clearly marked terminal positions

Ground Bar 12 Terminal

The phrase ground bar 12 terminal is a reversed search variation of 12-terminal ground bar.

It generally refers to a grounding bar with twelve usable conductor connections.

Although “12-terminal ground bar” is more natural English, both expressions can describe the same product. The unusual word order does not change the required manufacturing information.

The buyer should still provide:

Conductor sizes
Screw or stud dimensions
Terminal pitch
Incoming connection details
Mounting-hole spacing
Required bar material

12-Terminal Earth Bar

A 12 terminal earth bar is the equivalent earth-terminology version of a 12-terminal ground bar.

“Earth bar” is commonly used in the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and many international markets.

Possible structures include:

Brass screw-terminal earth bar
Copper bar with threaded studs
Tinned copper cable-lug bar
Bar mounted on plastic supports
One large earth input with twelve outgoing terminals

The electrical function is the same general protective-grounding and bonding function represented by “ground bar.”

14-Terminal Ground Bar

A 14 terminal ground bar may be used when twelve positions are insufficient but the equipment does not require a much longer 16- or 20-terminal component.

A fourteen-terminal bar can include:

Fourteen equal screw terminals
One input and thirteen outputs
Fourteen outputs plus a separate main lug
Two rows of seven terminals
Mixed terminal sizes

Two-row configurations may save length but require more width and cable-access space.

15-Terminal Ground Bar

A 15 terminal ground bar is often a custom panel or equipment component.

It may serve:

Fifteen equipment-grounding conductors
One main conductor and fourteen branch conductors
Five groups of three terminals
A cabinet with fifteen bonded components
A rack or telecom enclosure

The product can be supplied as a bare conductive bar or a complete assembly with terminal screws, mounting brackets, and insulating supports.

16-Terminal Ground Bar

A 16 terminal ground bar provides a balanced terminal count for larger panels and cabinets.

Possible arrangements include:

Sixteen terminals in one straight row
Two rows of eight terminals
One main input plus fifteen outputs
Sixteen outputs plus one larger main connection
Separate groups for different enclosure sections

For a long straight bar, support spacing should be reviewed to prevent deformation during wire installation.

18-Terminal Ground Bar

An 18 terminal ground bar is suitable for large control cabinets, distribution systems, and equipment containing many grounding points.

Long bars require attention to:

Bar flatness
Terminal alignment
Mounting-hole position
Support quantity
Packaging protection
Resistance to bending during shipment
Cable-entry access

A copper or brass bar can be customized with identical or mixed-size terminals.

20-Terminal Ground Bar

A 20 terminal ground bar provides a large number of grounding positions in one assembly.

It may be installed in:

Multi-section control cabinets
Switchboards
Large machinery
Telecom racks
Server cabinets
Power-conversion equipment
Energy-storage systems

A twenty-terminal bar can use a single row, double row, or divided sections depending on the available space.

The drawing should specify whether all terminals share one continuous conductive path.

21-Terminal Ground Bar

A 21 terminal ground bar is typically produced for a project-specific enclosure or wiring layout.

Possible configurations include:

Twenty-one equal conductor terminals
One input plus twenty outputs
Three groups of seven positions
Multiple cable sizes
A main grounding lug plus smaller branch terminals

A non-standard terminal quantity is not a manufacturing problem when complete dimensions are provided.

23-Terminal Ground Bar

A 23 terminal ground bar is normally a custom high-position-count product.

The bar may require several mounting points because its length and connected cable load can be substantial.

Important requirements include:

Terminal pitch
Total bar length
Bar thickness
Number of supports
Incoming grounding connection
Conductor sizes
Surface plating
Packaging method

A 23-terminal design can be manufactured with direct wire-entry terminals, threaded studs, or mixed connections.

24-Terminal Ground Bar

A 24 terminal ground bar is suitable for large electrical and industrial assemblies requiring many grounding connections.

Possible structures include:

One continuous 24-position bar
Two electrically connected 12-terminal bars
Two separate 12-terminal sections
Three groups of eight terminals
Double-row terminal arrangement

The customer should confirm whether the sections must be electrically common or isolated.

Long 24-terminal bars may require a center support or several standoffs to maintain mechanical stability.

25-Terminal Ground Bar

A 25 terminal ground bar may provide twenty-five equal terminals or a combination of one main connection and twenty-four outgoing positions.

It can be useful in equipment where a 24-position bar is required together with one dedicated main grounding terminal.

The larger terminal should be identified separately because it may require:

A larger cable hole
A different pressure screw
A bolted cable lug
Increased terminal spacing
Additional metal around the connection

30-Terminal Ground Bar

A 30 terminal ground bar is normally used in large cabinets, telecom systems, multi-section machinery, or custom industrial grounding assemblies.

A thirty-position design may be manufactured as:

One long continuous copper bar
Two connected 15-terminal bars
Three groups of ten positions
A double-row arrangement
Several sections mounted on one support frame

For long bars, the manufacturer should review:

Straightness tolerance
Support spacing
Hole-position accumulation
Thermal expansion
Cable load
Packaging protection

40-Terminal Ground Bar

A 40 terminal ground bar provides a high-capacity centralized grounding point for equipment with many bonded components.

Applications may include:

Large switchboards
Data-center cabinets
Telecom equipment rooms
Industrial production lines
Multi-section control systems
Large renewable-energy equipment
Custom grounding networks

A forty-position assembly does not necessarily need to be one extremely long metal bar. It can be manufactured as:

Two connected 20-terminal sections
Four groups of ten terminals
Two rows of twenty terminals
Several modular bars connected by bonding links

Dividing the product into sections can simplify installation, production, packaging, and replacement.

The customer should confirm whether the sections must be permanently connected, bolted together, or installed as separate grounding groups.

Terminal Count vs. Grounding Capacity

The number of terminals does not determine the electrical capacity of the ground bar.

A 40-terminal bar is not automatically capable of carrying more fault current than a 5-terminal bar.

Grounding performance depends on:

Metal material
Bar width and thickness
Remaining cross-section around holes
Fault-current requirements
Fault duration
Terminal contact resistance
Connected conductor sizes
Fastener pressure
Bonding continuity
Complete grounding-system design

A long bar with many large, closely spaced holes may have less effective metal cross-section than a shorter, thicker bar.

Selecting the Correct Terminal Count

Before choosing a ground bar, identify every conductor that must be connected.

Include:

Incoming protective-earth conductor
Branch-circuit grounding conductors
Enclosure bonding conductor
Door bonding strap
Cable-gland grounding connections
Cable-shield conductors
DIN-rail bonding conductor
Equipment-frame connections
Spare terminals for future expansion

Adding a few spare positions can simplify future equipment modifications. However, an unnecessarily long bar may occupy valuable panel space and increase cost.

Direct Wire, Port or Lug Connections

Direct wire terminals

Best for small and medium conductors inserted directly into machined holes.

Port connections

Useful when describing clearly defined cable-entry openings in a compact terminal block.

Lug connections

Preferred for larger conductors, cable lugs, ring terminals, and higher mechanical loads.

A custom ground bar can combine all three methods.

For example, a product may have:

One large bolted incoming lug
Five medium cable ports
Ten smaller direct wire terminals
Two mounting holes

Material Options

Brass

Suitable for compact screw-terminal bars requiring strong internal threads.

Copper

Preferred for larger bars, lower resistance, and bolted cable-lug connections.

Tinned copper

Provides copper conductivity together with improved surface protection.

Aluminum

Reduces weight and can lower material cost, but generally requires a larger cross-section and careful connection design.

Mounting Options

Ground bars may be supplied:

As bare machined metal bars
With terminal screws preassembled
On plastic end supports
On molded insulating bases
On composite standoffs
With bent mounting feet
With rack or wall brackets
As complete ground bar kits

The supply scope should state whether mounting screws, washers, insulators, lugs, and other accessories are included.

Custom Ground Bars from Carsai

Carsai manufactures custom ground bars with terminal counts ranging from compact 3 terminal ground bar products to large 40 terminal ground bar assemblies.

Available options include:

3- to 40-terminal configurations
Non-standard 7-, 9-, 14-, 15-, 18-, 21-, 23-, and 25-terminal bars
Brass, copper, tinned copper, and aluminum
Direct wire-entry terminals
Five-port and eight-port ground bars
Five-lug ground bars
Mixed input and output terminal sizes
Straight and double-row designs
Plastic or composite mounting supports
Bare and plated surfaces
Products manufactured from drawings or samples

Information Required for a Quotation

Please provide:

Required number of electrical terminals
Number of mounting holes
Incoming grounding-conductor size
Outgoing conductor sizes
Direct wire, port, stud, or lug connections
Cable-hole diameters
Screw, stud, or bolt sizes
Overall bar dimensions
Terminal pitch
Material and surface treatment
Mounting-support requirements
Direct or insulated mounting method
Grounding or fault-current requirements
Order quantity
Product drawing or sample

The drawing should clearly separate electrical terminal count from the total physical hole count.

Custom Multi-Terminal Ground Bars

Whether the project requires a compact 5 terminal ground bar, a 12 terminal earth bar, a 24 terminal ground bar, or a long 30- or 40-position grounding assembly, Carsai can customize the conductor capacity, terminal structure, material, mounting pattern, and finish according to the approved design.

Send us your drawing, required number of terminals, conductor sizes, material, mounting dimensions, and order quantity for a manufacturing review and quotation.

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