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Yes, but it is NOT the same as the "ground" wire.
In a typical home application (in the US), 240 Volts is delivered to your home through the meter base. The 240 Volts comes from a transformer; typically not very far away.
Although the transformer provides 240 Volts, the CENTER TAP of the transformer effectively divides the electrical current into two halves, with 120 Volts on each half.
Inside the home you have the option of using either 240 Volts or 120 Volts. If you use 120 Volts you are using electrical power from the center tap to one of the "hot" legs of the transformer.
Inside the breaker panel the center tap is referred to as common or neutral.
Unfortunately there can be some confusion since the term "common" is also used to describe one of the connections on a 3-way switch. The common on a 3-way switch is never neutral or grounded and it is "hot" whenever the light is on from either switch.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoThis is a complicated question to answer accurately. Maybe someone else with enough time available may be able to give a better answer than this one!
For more information on this very interesting topic, please see the answers to the Related Questions and also the much more detailed Related Link whcih you will find below this answer.
In North America, the "neutral" (or "grounded") wire and the grounding (or protective ground) wire are bonded together and connected to a solid Earth ground at a single point in every building electrical service. Obviously at that point, the grounding and neutral wire have the same potential.
At other points, the function of the two wires has to be considered. The neutral is a current carrying conductor, and the grounding wire is not. Since the neutral carries current, there will be some voltage drop between any remote point in the building's wiring and the point where the neutral is bonded to ground, if any current is flowing. This will result in a small potential difference between neutral and ground--usually a few volts at most.
The above is only true if things are working properly. If a neutral wire breaks, then all the neutral connections beyond the break can be at the "hot" wire potential. There are other faults that can cause a "hot" neutral, so it is never safe to assume the neutral is at ground potential.
It is also important to note that the neutral should NEVER be used as a safety ground and vice-versa. I have seen this done: where some incompetent handyman jumpered the neutral wire to the green screw / ground on a receptacle because there was no grounding wire in the box (old two-wire house wiring from before grounding wires were required). Unfortunately another incompetent had switched the hot and neutral someplace, so the result was any appliance plugged into the outlet had a hot metal frame!
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoThe ground wire is never to be used as a current carrying conductor. Even though it has the same potential as the neutral, it is only used to carry a short circuit current back to the distribution panel to trip the breaker and isolate the short circuit from the electrical system.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoThe ground wire and neutral wire are not the same.
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoNo
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Can two circuit share the same common and ground wires?
US NEC: The only place two circuits can share the same neutral (common) and ground wires is at the distribution panel, and that is only because those two conductors are tied together at the distribution panel.
How can you tell if the ground wire is approriately bonded to the neutral and the cabinet at the service box?
Ground wire can be appropriately bonded to the neutral and cabinet at the service box by connecting the neutral and ground wires from the feeder wires to the neutral bus bar and the ground terminal located on the same cabinet at the service box. White wire (neutral) must be connected to bus bar and bare wire must be connected to ground terminal in the same cabinet.
Where is the only place the neutral and ground wires can be on the same buss bar?
The main electric panel is where neutral is bonded to ground. There is usually a screw or strap that connects the two so the same type panel could be used as a subpanel and have the neutral and ground unbonded in subpanel.
Can a insulated ground wire be used in lieu of a tinned bare ground wire?
Yes, as long as it is the same size wire or larger as the hot and neutral wires.
Can neutral and bare copper wires be under the same screw on a bus bare in a single family home electrical panel?
No, ground wires should not be terminated on the neutral bus. They should be terminated on to the ground bus which should be located on the back wall of the distribution panel. More that one wire can go under the terminal screws if you are running out of room. Shut the panel off and remove any ground wires that are now under the neutral bus terminals and move them to the ground bus. Some panels use a lug for a ground bus. All ground wires into the lug and tighten. In a ground fault condition it is the ground wires that are connected to the ground potential that trip the breaker, not ground wires connected to neutrals. Be safe.
How many neutral wires are needed for lighting and outlets?
If they are on the same circuit you only need 1 neutral wire in the circuit.
Can two circuit share the same common and ground wires?
US NEC: The only place two circuits can share the same neutral (common) and ground wires is at the distribution panel, and that is only because those two conductors are tied together at the distribution panel.
Why not hook ground to neutral since they are hooked on same spot in breaker box why not in outlet box.?
The "hot" wire and the neutral wire both carry current (the same amount, in fact) when a load is connected to complete the circuit. The ground wire never carries current except when a fault-to-ground situation occurs. Yes, neutral and ground wires should both be at ground potential, but NO they should not be connected at the outlet.
How can you tell if the ground wire is approriately bonded to the neutral and the cabinet at the service box?
Ground wire can be appropriately bonded to the neutral and cabinet at the service box by connecting the neutral and ground wires from the feeder wires to the neutral bus bar and the ground terminal located on the same cabinet at the service box. White wire (neutral) must be connected to bus bar and bare wire must be connected to ground terminal in the same cabinet.
Where is the only place the neutral and ground wires can be on the same buss bar?
The main electric panel is where neutral is bonded to ground. There is usually a screw or strap that connects the two so the same type panel could be used as a subpanel and have the neutral and ground unbonded in subpanel.
Why transmission line does mot have neutral?
Neutral and Ground are the same thing, so it would just be two wires serving identical purposes.
Is the voltage on a 120 volt fluorescent lighting circuit the same from line to neutral and line to ground?
Yes, to the precision you can measure it. If it isn't you need to check the ground to neutral bonding at main panel and check the wiring in the circuit for loose connections.
Does a neutral increase risk of a short circuit?
No, the neutral is the return path of the supply from the load. If the neutral grounds out an ordinary layman would never know this was happening. This is because the neutral and the ground should be at the same zero potential. An electrician could test the neutral and find out if this is happening. It means lifting wires while they are "hot" and checking for unwanted voltages.
Why neutral to ground voltage is 0v sometime 120 v in same connection?
When the neutral is connected to the ground they are at the same potential which is zero volts. If the neutral gets disconnected from the ground then a potential of 120 volts will be measured from the open neutral to ground. This voltage is being measured from the neutral side of the load that is on the circuit. because they are actually the same cable at sub station, but split by the time they come to the board, long answer involved but that's the jist of it!
How many wires can you run off one outlet?
Matters how many it has on it. <<>> A properly wired receptical will only have one black, one white and one ground wire attached to it. These wires will be pig tailed from the incoming and outgoing cables that are located in the receptical's junction box. The ground wire that is spliced with a pig tail connection also will first goes to the ground screw before it is terminated to the receptical's green ground screw. The reason for splicing the wires this way is to prevent opening the circuit neutral if and when you have to change the receptical for a new one. The same neutral can be used as the common wire from another breaker that might not be turned off when you shut the breaker off to change out the receptacle that needs repllacing. Opening the neutral from another circuit will have that breakers voltage on it. If your body gets between the open neutral and a ground you will receive a sever shock from the current that the other circuit's load is carrying.
Can neutral and bare copper wires be under the same screw on a bus bare in a single family home electrical panel?
No, ground wires should not be terminated on the neutral bus. They should be terminated on to the ground bus which should be located on the back wall of the distribution panel. More that one wire can go under the terminal screws if you are running out of room. Shut the panel off and remove any ground wires that are now under the neutral bus terminals and move them to the ground bus. Some panels use a lug for a ground bus. All ground wires into the lug and tighten. In a ground fault condition it is the ground wires that are connected to the ground potential that trip the breaker, not ground wires connected to neutrals. Be safe.
Can a insulated ground wire be used in lieu of a tinned bare ground wire?
Yes, as long as it is the same size wire or larger as the hot and neutral wires.
