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An earth wire only " works " under fault conditions in an electrical circuit . The earth or circuit protective conductor protects any conductive part of the system which under normal conditions should not be live , for example the metal casing of a washing machine . The earth , during a short circuit , will complete the circuit and the system will fuse/trip/disconnect if protected suitably .
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoThe earth wire (called 'ground wire' in the US) offers the easiest path to ground. Since electrical current seeks the easiest path to the ground, any stray current will travel through that instead of a person.
Electrons flow (drift) through wires like water flows through pipes. Water flowing through pipes will flow through the biggest pipes the easiest, because there is less resistance to flow, and draw off the water flowing through smaller pipes. Same kind of deal with the ground wire.
The Earth wire is like the largest pipe in the system, which means the wire has the least resistance. As such, it, like the largest water pipe, draws off any electrical current that might be around in the system of wires (the circuits). So if by accident one of the smaller wires with higher resistance is subjected to a surge of voltage, the resulting overload current will flow into the ground wire rather than through the higher resistance wire, which would probably blow the circuit and cause damage.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoOften, a short circuit is to the frame of an appliance. If the frame is grounded through an earth wire, then fault current will flow, tripping the fuse or circuit breaker. If you did not have the earth wire, fault current would not flow. Instead, the frame of the appliance will become hot, and if you then touch it along with something else such as a water pipe, fault current will flow through you, electrocuting you. Unfortunately, the fault current through the body is often not enough to blow the fuse or circuit breaker, so the probability of death is high.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoIt provides a return path to a ground point for current.
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In electrical circuits what wire protects the operator?
Earth wire is meant to protect the user in case there is earth fault in the device or circuit. Only earth wire alone is not sufficient. It needs to be provided with suitable circuit breaker that breaks the circuit automatically.
Can loose neutral wire effect the operation of Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker?
Yes, a loose neutral wire can effect the operation of Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker.
Why a circuit is protected by a circuit breaker?
1. protection against fire hazard from a short-circuit. A short-circuit can be caused by a loose wire, faulty insulation, or faulty wiring. A short-circuit will cause the wires to heat up rapidly, presenting a fire hazard. 2. protection against circuit overloading. Too much current in a wire caused by overloading (plugging in too many high-power appliances, for example) can cause overheating, presenting a fire hazard. Most circuit breakers have a "slow-blow" mode that breaks the circuit if overload continues for too long. 3. on grounded appliances (which have the third prong on the plug), the ground is connected to all exposed conductive material on the appliance. In the event that a loose wire contacts the exposed metal, a short-circuit will occur, and the power will be cut. This protects against accidental electrocution. Circuit breakers do not protect against fire hazards from inferior gauge of wire, glow-faults, or arc-faults. Most do not protect against electrocution hazards from ground-faults (although some do).
Why a coiled wire does not short the circuit?
I suspect that it is because a coiled wire becomes an electro-magnet which disipates and uses energy, and is therefore not recognized as a short.
What is principle of Current transformer?
why does have to short-circuit secondary wire of current transformer ?
In electrical circuits what wire protects the operator?
Earth wire is meant to protect the user in case there is earth fault in the device or circuit. Only earth wire alone is not sufficient. It needs to be provided with suitable circuit breaker that breaks the circuit automatically.
How does short circuit occur?
short circuit occurs when two wire which consist of one live and neutral wire are in contact with the main and the other end of the wire are touched each other short circuit occurs
Why wiring short circuit?
A "hot" positive wire has made contact with ground = short circuit.
Why would a computer wire melt?
Short in the circuit or the circuit was overloaded.
Why is earth wire not needed in a light circuit?
A ground (earth) wire is needed in not just a light circuit but in all circuits that are now installed.
What do fuses and circuit breakers protect circuits from?
They protect the downstream components from spikes in the eletrical system.CommentFuses and circuit breakers do not protect against 'spikes', which are near-instantaneous voltage increases. Fuses and circuit breakers are overcurrent protection devices, which protect appliances against excessive current due to overloads or short circuits. CommentFuses and circuit breakers are used to protect the wire feeder that supplies the load. A load could be connected to a circuit that would cause an increase of amperage above what the wire is rated for. If this condition happens the fuse or circuit breaker will open the load from the supply service.
What happens if a wire breaks?
The circuit stops working because of the short circuit
Why is your earth wire is glowing on the live circuit?
In the visible spectrum or the infrared? Either way, if your earth wire is glowing you have a problem. Your earth wire is not intended as a current carrying wire. If the wire is loaded to the point that it glows then your circuit/breaker is not wired correctly and the earth wire is being used as an unintended path and is a hazard. Earth wires are not sized properly to carry current.
What causes a short circuti?
An electrical short circuit is when two bare wires touch each other. Or when one wire's insulation wears too thin and the bared wire touches the metal chassis of the device and is led to earth.
Can loose neutral wire effect the operation of Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker?
Yes, a loose neutral wire can effect the operation of Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker.
What will happen if a thick copper wire is used in fuse?
If a thick copper wire is used in a fuse then by definition of a fuse this device would no longer be defined as a fuse. A fuse in a circuit is used to protect the conductors feeding the load of that circuit. The circuit, if using a thick copper wire in a fuse, would then be considered as a non fused circuit.
When installing a circuit breaker do you size the breaker to correct wire size or the device its controlling?
When installing a circuit breaker, you size the breaker based on the wire size. The breaker should be matched to the ampacity of the wire to ensure proper protection against overloads and short circuits. The device being controlled by the breaker is not a determining factor in sizing the breaker.
