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Standard US 120V plugs have a pin for hot, neutral, and ground. Hot is the main feed for the electricity. Neutral is the return wire for the electricity. Neutral is the wider blade on a polarized plug. Neutral is a safety wire. It is designed to be at the same potential as earth and should have no energy flowing through it under normal circumstances. It is designed to ground conductive components the user may touch. In the event of a short energy flows through the ground wire blowing the breaker, instead of through the user electrocuting them. This is why double insulated devices with no conductive parts for the user to touch have no ground pin. This is also why you should never bypass the ground pin. It is there for your safety.

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