megloff11x
Senior Member
I'm trying to compile a list of reasons why bootleg grounds (running a jumper from the neutral to the grounding terminal on an outlet) is bad.
1. Lose the neutral and you have no redundant fault path.
2. Normal current through the neutral conductor means raising the Voltage of the "grounding" terminal at the appliance plugged into the outlet. V=I*R-wire. Might be small, but enough to get electrocuted or at least tingled.
3. Elaborating on #2, this Voltage could causes sparks between phone, modem, cable TV, etc. grounding connections. Industrially it could affect or destroy sensors and data logging equipment - loss of single point grounding.
4. Can better couple noise from the neutral onto the grounding terminals of everything else on that outlet/branch
5. In a ground fault situation, the Voltage will rise from V=I*R-neutralwire until the fault clears, which may take long enough to harm things or people.
6. Two conductors terminated on a terminal designed for one conductor makes it more likely it'll fall off later on, see #1.
Am I missing any?
Matt
1. Lose the neutral and you have no redundant fault path.
2. Normal current through the neutral conductor means raising the Voltage of the "grounding" terminal at the appliance plugged into the outlet. V=I*R-wire. Might be small, but enough to get electrocuted or at least tingled.
3. Elaborating on #2, this Voltage could causes sparks between phone, modem, cable TV, etc. grounding connections. Industrially it could affect or destroy sensors and data logging equipment - loss of single point grounding.
4. Can better couple noise from the neutral onto the grounding terminals of everything else on that outlet/branch
5. In a ground fault situation, the Voltage will rise from V=I*R-neutralwire until the fault clears, which may take long enough to harm things or people.
6. Two conductors terminated on a terminal designed for one conductor makes it more likely it'll fall off later on, see #1.
Am I missing any?
Matt
