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The ground wire in an electrical circuit is connected to the grounding terminal of an electrical outlet or to the grounding bar in an electrical panel. It is designed to provide a safe path for excess electrical current to flow to the earth in case of a fault or surge in the circuit.
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Your 1998 Chevy Malibu lights go on and off?
Headlights? Sounds like a dead short to ground in circuit, -circuit breaker tripping and resetting? Investigate circuit to find frayed or loose wire contacting ground
Instead of neutral wire earth wire connected in a lamp.it will glow or not?
Well, honey, if you connect the earth wire instead of the neutral wire in a lamp, it ain't gonna glow. The earth wire is there for safety, not for powering up your light bulb. So, if you want that lamp to shine bright like a diamond, you better stick with the neutral wire where it belongs.
What if your head lights quit working but your parking lights work on your GMC truck?
Open CircuitsFrom what I understand of your problem, IF the circuit breaker [or fuse] for that circuit IS good, then the problem is probably that the wiring of that circuit has what is called an "open circuit condition. i.e., is disconnected somewhere.For an electrical circuit to function, the circuit must be "complete" which means that a conductor [wire] must be attached to the Positive terminal of the battery and run [through various harnesses and connectors, plugs, etc.] to the fuse, then to a control switch ], then to the electrical device (in this case your headlights), and then another wire [called a ground] back to the Negative terminal of the battery. Usually, the ground wire does not go all the way back to the battery Negative terminal, but instead connects to the body sheet metal near the device, and the body sheet metal is all grounded to the Negative terminal of the battery.This continuous line of electrical conduction makes a "circuit." IF any part of that circuit is disconnected [for example, at a connector, or a screw terminal, or at a sheet metal ground screw], the circuit is said to be "open," incomplete, and cannot conduct the electricity.The "fix" for your problem is for someone who understands and is experienced in automotive electrical systems to fully "troubleshoot" that electrical circuit to find and identify the defect, and then to properly correct it.Although there could be one or more of many possible defects, you need to find it [them], and fix it in order to cause the circuit to work as it should.Some of the things which could cause the problem you describe includes:A connector which has become disconnected [unplugged or loose].A "bad" ground caused by road film buildup and/or corrosion.A cut or broken wire anywhere within that circuit.A defective headlight circuit breaker, or relay [IF there is a relay in that circuit].A defective contact inside of the headlight switch.
I need to install a 4-prong 240V outlet and have old 3-wire without ground. Can you add just a ground wire without running entirely new wiring?
No, you can't. Per below, saying, "You can, but it doesn't meet code" means NO. Per National Electrical Code, a circuit ground has to be either the raceway itself, or installed in the same raceway as the hot conductors. In regards to Romex, this means your ground must be part of the same cable. If you had an extra non-ground conductor, you could re-identify it green and use it as ground, but it doesn't seem like you do. You can, but it doesn't meet code.The best option is to run new wire. If you can't, go with your separate ground wire. It is hackish, but it does work.If this is for a dryer or range, they do sell 3 prong cords for old work. You can ground your appliance directly with the fourth wire. Same result, and a little better than hacking the outlet. ----If you do not understand the work well enough to accomplish it yourself properly and safely, don't try it. Consult a professional electrician, as they are proficient enough to do it properly and safely. When working on electrical circuits and equipment, make sure to de-energize the circuit you will be working on. Then test the circuit with a definitive means to make sure it is off (multimeter with metal tipped leads, voltage tester with metal tipped leads, etc., not a non-contact tester, which is non-definitive.)
Why it is important to properly ground your electrical appliances?
The ground wire is the low impedance and direct return path to the distribution panelboard. The ground wire carries any fault current back to the panelboard. This fault current is what trips the circuits protection. This protection can be either a fuse but more likely an electrical circuit breaker.One common mistake in the electrical trade is the thought that the ground wire connects to the neutral bus or wire. The ground wire does not connect to the neutral wire or the panelboards isolated neutral bus.The ground wire connects to the ground bus in the panelboard. This is an non-isolated bus that is threaded directly to the panelboard enclosure. The only place the ground bus and the neutral connect to each other is through the neutral bonding screw. This is a screw that goes through the neutral bus and threads itself into the enclosure of the panelboard thereby picking up the ground bus.
When a person touches alive wire electrical current flows through his body how does this happen if the circuit is not complete?
Current may go to the ground, or another conductor. Also, your body may act as a capacitor, in other words, absorbing some current even if the circuit is not complete. Note that the normal household current is AC.
1979 ford f100 fuel tank theres a green wire and a black wire where does the black wire go the green wire is hooked up but not the black one?
One wire goes to the sending unit in the tank. It should hook to a terminal beside where the fuel line connects. The other one grounds out the body of the sending unit or the whole plate where the fuel line goes into the tank. 3-4 inch round plate. The ground wire will either go into the wire harness with the sending unit one or ground directly to the frame. The ground wire on all gas tanks very often rusts off.
I am trying to put up a light fixture but it has three wires a white one a black one and a Coppertone where does the coopertoned wire go?
The bare copper wire is a ground wire. if your old electrical system only has black and white, then you don't have a ground wire to hook the new fixture's ground to. Safest bet is to run a ground wire to that junction box (or hire an electrician to do that). If the box in the ceiling (I'm assuming its a ceiling fixture) is metal, the home's electrical system ground wire may be attached to the metal box itself. If that's the case, you simply need to attach your new fixture's ground wire (the bare copper one) to the metal box. If in doubt -- have an electrician look at it.
What is the electrical terminology meaning of earth?
In electrical terminology the earth is a wire that connects the outer metal cases of all items electrical equipment together so that a user will not receive a shock from them. The earth wire is also connected to water pipes and gas pipes at each property, and to an earth rod in the ground to allow any static charge from the atmosphere to go to ground. In certain fault conditions an internal live wire might come into contact with the case of a piece of equpiment, and in that case the earth wire provides a path for the fault current to flow and cause the fuse or circuit-breaker to operate, restoring a safe condition. The earth wire is a third wire separate from the two current-carrying wires, the live and neutral.
How do you change a 4 prong 240V cord for a dryer to a 220V 3 prong cord?
Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.You are approaching the problem the wrong way around. The cord to the dryer should stay a four wire as that is now the new electrical code. What should be done is changing the three wire wall receptacle to a four wire installation.Turn the breaker off that controls the circuit for the dryer. Look in the back of the dryer receptacle box that is in the wall. The three wires coming in should have a bare ground wire in the cable set. It wasn't brought to the receptacle because there was no place for it on the old three wire receptacle. If you find the ground wire back there under a screw terminal, just add another short piece of wire under the screw and then connect the other end of the short wire to the new ground terminal on the new four position receptacle. The wire should be equal in size to the size of the wire that exists around the ground terminal now. If the house is so old that the range cable did not have a ground wire in it, the electrical code allows a separate green ground #10 wire to be taken from the breaker panel box to the existing range receptacle. This wire is to be bonded on each end. At the panel end to the ground buss and at the receptacle end around the ground screw at the back of the box unbroken and then to the new four position receptacle ground lug.As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.Before you do any work yourself,on electrical circuits, equipment or appliancesalways use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
What is the difference between a neutral wire and a ground wire?
A neutral wire carries current back to the electrical panel in a circuit, completing the electrical circuit. It is connected to the ground at the electrical panel but is not intended to carry current in normal operation. A ground wire, on the other hand, is a safety feature that provides a path for electricity to flow in the event of a short circuit or fault, directing it safely into the ground to prevent electric shock. In summary, the neutral wire carries current, while the ground wire is a safety measure for redirecting current in case of a fault.
2003 dodge neon dome light will not turn off when door is closed the door symbol stays illuminated with door closed?
The door latch as a ground wire attached to it. When the door is closed the circuit is completed and the light will go off. Check the ground wire in the door latch.
