Grounding An Outlet
- Thread starter kasgost
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Re: Grounding An Outlet
Your profile states that you're a student. Are you an electrical student?
Your profile states that you're a student. Are you an electrical student?
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Re: Grounding An Outlet
From Private Message:
From Private Message:
Sorry, but this forum is for electrical professionals only. DIY questions are forbidden by forum rules so we can not answer your question.
ron
Senior Member
- Location
- New York, 40.7514,-73.9925
Re: Grounding An Outlet
Forum,
We can at least try to avoid an accident.
kasgost,
As mentioned, don't do it. Do not connect ground and neutral at a receptacle.
Forum,
We can at least try to avoid an accident.
kasgost,
As mentioned, don't do it. Do not connect ground and neutral at a receptacle.
- Location
- Massachusetts
Re: Grounding An Outlet
kasgost the answer is yes you could do that.
You can also bring a TV into the tub with you.
Either one is a very bad choice if you enjoy breathing.
Good point.
kasgost the answer is yes you could do that.
You can also bring a TV into the tub with you.
Either one is a very bad choice if you enjoy breathing.
al hildenbrand
Senior Member
- Location
- Minnesota
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
Re: Grounding An Outlet
kagost,
By connecting the neutral at an outlet to the conduit, the return current now travels in the conduit and any other conductive path that the conduit touches resulting in current flowing in things, metal, foil, pipe, etc., that are not intended, by design, to be conductors.
This creates the potential for hazard (fire, shock, injury, death).
The insulated neutral wire, that is electrically continuous and isolated from ground all the way back to the service center, keeps the return current safely sequestered in a path intended to carry the current.
kagost,
By connecting the neutral at an outlet to the conduit, the return current now travels in the conduit and any other conductive path that the conduit touches resulting in current flowing in things, metal, foil, pipe, etc., that are not intended, by design, to be conductors.
This creates the potential for hazard (fire, shock, injury, death).
The insulated neutral wire, that is electrically continuous and isolated from ground all the way back to the service center, keeps the return current safely sequestered in a path intended to carry the current.
Re: Grounding An Outlet
Steve
In certain cases, metal conduit is allowed to be used as the EGC (assuming the correct connectors are used to terminate the conduit). Even when it isn't required, many engineers specify a ground wire to be included as a redundant return path. We consider the ground to be very important.
Steve
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
Re: Grounding An Outlet
I am going to use my Moderator's power to get in the last word here. I don't want the discussion to get in to technical issues. As Infinity said, we cannot provide that type of help. I would like to thank Ron for his suggestion that we at least give the safety implications of making this wiring mistake.
I would like to add one scary image, to help reinforce the recommendations that you not do this wiring mistake. Contemplate this:
I am going to use my Moderator's power to get in the last word here. I don't want the discussion to get in to technical issues. As Infinity said, we cannot provide that type of help. I would like to thank Ron for his suggestion that we at least give the safety implications of making this wiring mistake.
I would like to add one scary image, to help reinforce the recommendations that you not do this wiring mistake. Contemplate this:
If neutral and ground are connected at a receptacle, then many other metal things will become energized, as Al has described. But what that means is that a person in another room might be the one who receives the fatal shock. How would you feel when the investigation discovers that another person has died because of a wiring mistake that you had made?
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