Bare Netural Wire

[ggunn]

How would there be a lot of current? The path will have a high resistance there there will be very little voltage to drive the current. The only voltage to drive the current is the voltage drop on the grounded conductor, again this assumes that there are no high resistance connections in the grounded conductor.

If a neutral touches the ECG out at the end of a 120V branch circuit, assuming that the EGC has the same resistance back to the panel as the neutral, it will carry half the current of the circuit.

 

[kwired]

If a neutral touches the ECG out at the end of a 120V branch circuit, assuming that the EGC has the same resistance back to the panel as the neutral, it will carry half the current of the circuit.

If the EGC is or also contains a metal raceway and other incidental paths it very well may be less resistance than the neutral conductor and be carrying more current than the neutral conductor itself is carrying.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I'm thinking though that since the equipment ground forms a grid and the neutral current of all bare neutral circuits would then have the same potential as all the conductive equipment grounds and equipment, then anything with even a small difference in potential throughout the building, like a metal fence post or a stair rail, could see a lot of current between the two.

How would there be a lot of current? The path will have a high resistance there there will be very little voltage to drive the current. The only voltage to drive the current is the voltage drop on the grounded conductor, again this assumes that there are no high resistance connections in the grounded conductor.

If a neutral touches the ECG out at the end of a 120V branch circuit, assuming that the EGC has the same resistance back to the panel as the neutral, it will carry half the current of the circuit.

My comment is talking about the current to some other grounded conductive object, not the current on the EGC. The current through the other grounded conductive objects can only be driven by the voltage drop on the EGC. This will be a few volts at most and the other conductive grounded objects, assuming there is no direct connection to the electrical grounding system, will have a resistance that will limit the current via these objects to a low level.

If these other grounded conductive objects would have a direct connection to the electrical grounding system, then they may carry a significant amount of the grounded conductor current.

 

[wireshark]

I would use bare wire for grounding and absolutely nothing else.

 

[kwired]

I would use bare wire for grounding and absolutely nothing else.

You've never used SE cable for service entrances?