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They are always connected, but at one and only one place, the service entrance. For instance, if you are adding a subpanel to an existing house, the subpanel will probably come with the ground bus and the neutral bus tied together with a special bonding screw. To be legal, you must remove this screw, isolating the neutral from ground. The house's main panel still has the bonding screw or jumper in place, and remains the only place the connection is made.

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Does the ground wire from a 240 volt tankless water heater connect to the common wire?

Any ground wire has to be connected to an independent ground wire that returns directly to the distribution panel and not to the neutral of the circuit.


When a device is removed from an outlet box which wire must be connected in such a way that it maintains continuity?

All three wires, the "hot", neutral and the ground must all maintain the integrity of the circuit. This is why pigtails are connected from the main circuitry to the receptacle or switch devices so that they can be removed without opening the electrical circuit.


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.


Is it OK illegal or dangerous to connect the neutral to ground to make the circuit work?

If you have to connect the neutral to ground to make the circuit work then you have an open neutral in your circuit. Be careful in handling the neutral as there can be voltage potential on the neutral if a load is connected. In a properly wired home that has been inspected by the local electrical inspector the neutral should be bonded to the ground at the main service distribution point. There will be a green screw that projects through the neutral bus and is threaded into the back of the electrical panel. This should be the one and only place in the whole electrical system where this neutral to ground connection takes place. Dangerous!!!!! The ground is the safety to prevent you from getting shocked due to a malfunctioning piece of equipment. By using the ground for a neutral you will be energizing the entire ground system of you house or business. Thus anything with metal on it and a ground wire going to it will be electrified if the ground fails at the breaker box or building ground rod. Do you want to take this risk? Not I..........


If live is kept open could it trip circuit breaker by connecting neutral to ground?

Yes, keeping a live wire open can potentially trip a circuit breaker if the neutral and ground are connected. This can create a potential difference between neutral and ground, leading to a fault current that may trip the breaker. It is unsafe to have a live wire left open and in contact with other conductors.

Related Questions

What is the recommended 220 wiring diagram for installing a new electrical circuit in a residential home?

The recommended 220 wiring diagram for installing a new electrical circuit in a residential home typically involves using a double-pole circuit breaker and a 4-wire cable with two hot wires, a neutral wire, and a ground wire. The hot wires are connected to the circuit breaker, the neutral wire is connected to the neutral bus bar, and the ground wire is connected to the ground bus bar. It is important to follow all local electrical codes and regulations when installing a new electrical circuit.


Does the neutral wire have a charge in a gfci circuit breaker?

No. Not if the GFCI is wired correctly. The neutral wire should always be cold, or at ground potential.


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.


What is the purpose of the white wire in an electrical circuit and how does it function as the neutral wire?

The purpose of the white wire in an electrical circuit is to serve as the neutral wire. The neutral wire completes the circuit by providing a return path for the current to flow back to the power source. It is connected to the ground at the electrical panel to ensure safety and proper functioning of the circuit.


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.


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.


What is the charge on a conductor connected to "ground"?

When a conductor is connected to "ground," it becomes neutral and carries no charge.


Does the ground wire from a 240 volt tankless water heater connect to the common wire?

Any ground wire has to be connected to an independent ground wire that returns directly to the distribution panel and not to the neutral of the circuit.


Is the hot wire correctly connected to the ground wire in the electrical circuit?

No, the hot wire should not be connected to the ground wire in an electrical circuit.


When a device is removed from an outlet box which wire must be connected in such a way that it maintains continuity?

All three wires, the "hot", neutral and the ground must all maintain the integrity of the circuit. This is why pigtails are connected from the main circuitry to the receptacle or switch devices so that they can be removed without opening the electrical circuit.


What does neutral do?

Neutral wires are actually ground wires. They enable the circuit to be completed.


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.