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The quick and dirty answer is that the live wire (or hot/black wire) in a North American supply has a potential of 120V above ground - The voltage you pump out of the hot wire will do what it is meant to do (such as heating a kettle element) and then find the shortest path back to ground which in this case should be the neutral wire since it is directly bonded at a very low resistance path to the ground (your panel earth will probably be connected to your cold water pipe inlet, or to a metal pipe hammered into the ground).
A more complicated question is why do you need a separate ground/earth wire when both of them are connected to the same thing. I will leave that one for someone else :)
For information about that see the answer to the Related Question shown below!
What else can I help you with?
Why do white wire mark 120v?
Because the white wire on a 120 volt circuit is the neutral wire that is connected to the silver screw on outlets and switches. It is connected to the neutral bar in the service panel.
Why is it that when you touch the neutral in a box that is not connect to the panel cause the test light to come when touching the power wire?
It shouldn't. The open end of a non connected neutral should have the same potential as the voltage feeding the circuit. The only time a voltage will show is when the return neutral is tested with a meter to the neutral bar or the ground return bar. It will then show what the supply voltage to the connected load is. Once this neutral is connected to the neutral bar there will be no voltage shown across the test meter between the neutral and the neutral bar or the ground bar.
Why is the ground wire hot at all outlet boxes on a particular circuit?
Most likely the ground (green) wire is mistakenly connected to hot instead of the hot wire (black) at the breaker panel! Possibly you meant the neutral wire not the ground wire, in that case most likely the neutral (white) wire is mistakenly connected to hot instead of the hot wire (black) at the breaker panel! In either case check all three wires in the breaker panel for that circuit to make sure they are all correctly connected! Black is hot, White is neutral, Green (or uninsulated in some cases) is ground.
Why isn't there a ground in a junction box?
Only the main panel is grounded directly because if you ground each junction box of subpanel ground loop current paths are possible that can cause shock hazards. The ground rod is connected to main panel and the neutral is bonded to that ground as is the ground wire. The neutral and ground wire are then run to all circuits, junction boxes and subpanels throughout the house. If you tie neutral and ground together at any point in the house, other than the main panel ground loops can exist and cause shocks.
Can you have a neutral and common buss bars in a junction box that is connected to main panel?
Yes, you can have neutral and common bus bars in a junction box connected to the main panel, but they must be kept separate to comply with electrical codes. The neutral bus bar should only connect to neutral wires, while the common or ground bus bar should be dedicated to ground wires. This separation helps ensure safety and prevents unwanted current from flowing on grounding conductors. Always check local codes and regulations to ensure compliance.
Can a live and earth wire be joined together in a light switch?
Physically yes, but to no avail. The breaker will trip instantaneously as a short circuit will have been introduced into the circuit with this action. In all wiring the live must never be connected directly to earth. The only place where the neutral and earth are connected together is at the distribution panel where the utility's supply neutral joins the system earth on the distribution panel's neutral bus bar.
Is neutral connected to earth in main panel?
Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hertz supply service.Yes, the neutral is connected to a system ground in the main distribution panel.
Why dont you use earth wire place of neutral?
Earth is neutral, but only at the distribution panel and upstream from it. Downstream of the distribution panel, earth and neutral shall not interchange or cross connect their connections or their roles - earth is protective ground - and neutral the current carrying return conductor.
Can the sub panel neutral and ground wires be connected to the same bus bar?
No, the sub panel neutral and ground wires should not be connected to the same bus bar. They should be connected to separate bus bars to ensure proper grounding and safety in the electrical system.
Should neutral wire of lamp be connected to the 3amp or the 6 amp side of a canopy switch?
You should never switch the neutral wire. The neutral of the appliance should be connected directly to the neutral wire leading to the service panel neutral bar.
Can the ground and neutral wires be connected to the same bar in the main panel?
No, the ground and neutral wires should not be connected to the same bar in the main panel. It is important to keep them separate to ensure proper functioning of the electrical system and to prevent potential safety hazards.
In the typical home electrical panel installation the main ground wire is connected directly from a ground rod driven into the ground to the?
In North American residential homes, there are 3 wires coming from the utility company, two "hots" and neutral. The two "hot" conductors get connected to the main breaker. The neutral gets connected to the neutral bus bars located along the sides of the breaker box. There is a set screw that is placed in the neutral bar that screws into the distribution panel enclosure thereby bringing the potential of the neutral bars down to zero. The wire from your ground rod is also connected to the neutral bus bar, and thereby it is connected to the neutral from the power company. This is also often bonded to the copper cold water plumbing in the house if the home is not plumbed in PVC water pipe. White circuit wires are then connected to the neutral bus bars. Also in the distribution panel are ground bus bars. The ground wires from circuit cables are connected to these grounding bars. Do not under any circumstance terminate the white and bare ground wires together. Ground wires to the ground bar and white wires to the neutral bar.
Why do white wire mark 120v?
Because the white wire on a 120 volt circuit is the neutral wire that is connected to the silver screw on outlets and switches. It is connected to the neutral bar in the service panel.
Can the ground and neutral wires be connected to the same bar in an electrical panel?
No, the ground and neutral wires should not be connected to the same bar in an electrical panel as they serve different purposes in the electrical system. Connecting them to the same bar can create safety hazards and cause electrical issues.
In typical home electrical panel installation the main ground wire is connected directly from a ground rod driven into the ground to the?
In North American residential homes, there are 3 wires coming from the utility company, two "hots" and neutral. The two "hot" conductors get connected to the main breaker. The neutral gets connected to the neutral bus bars located along the sides of the breaker box. There is a set screw that is placed in the neutral bar that screws into the distribution panel enclosure thereby bringing the potential of the neutral bars down to zero. The wire from your ground rod is also connected to the neutral bus bar, and thereby it is connected to the neutral from the power company. This is also often bonded to the copper cold water Plumbing in the house if the home is not plumbed in PVC water pipe. White circuit wires are then connected to the neutral bus bars. Also in the distribution panel are ground bus bars. The ground wires from circuit cables are connected to these grounding bars. Do not under any circumstance terminate the white and bare ground wires together. Ground wires to the ground bar and white wires to the neutral bar.
Does the common and ground wires hookup together on main box?
No, the common (neutral) and ground wires should not be connected together in the main electrical panel. The common wire is used to carry current back to the electrical panel, while the ground wire is used for safety to prevent electrical shock. They serve different purposes and should remain separate.
What is the difference between ground and floating neutral in your electric panel?
Neutral is vital to complete the cicuit. Ground is vital to carry the current to earth during a malfuntion of the appliance using power to drive it, should the current come in contact with the frame or outer covering of the appliance and endangering the users life.
