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RE: quickie elect. question

To: "Ron Schmittou" <rs1121@earthlink.net>, <shop-talk@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: quickie elect. question
From: "Mullen, Tim \(IIS\)" <Tim.Mullen@ngc.com>
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 15:32:21 -0400
Ron Schmittou wrote:
> I have never really understood the mania on this third 
> wire or "Ground" wire in the US since 99.9% of all 
> electrical panels have the supposedly "Neutral" wire and 
> the "ground" wire connect to the same buss.

I'm sure that this one is going to generate lots of responses...

The ground is there in case something happens to the neutral wire - it's
much, much safer to have a "backup" return wire than to have the human
body be the electrical path to ground.

If the hot path breaks, no problem - the electric flow stops.  If the
neutral path breaks, the flow goes to ground.  If there's no ground,
then the flow tries to go else where...  =8-O

Tim Mullen - not an electrician, but even I know that one...  :)






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