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That's not much of a question but I think you mean "how or why do you share a neutral?" A neutral is sometimes called a "grounded conductor" because it is connected to the main ground at the point of entry of a home or building. But it is not the "ground". You typically have 4 main conductors at the point of entry of your home or other building. 2 are "hot" wires, 1 is the neutral(these three come from the utility provider) the last one is the ground wire(s) usually coming from ground rods pounded into the earth outside (sometimes there is also a conductor connected to the copper water pipe where it comes into the home or to a rebar encased in the concrete foundation of the building)(these are all considered the "grounding electrode conductor" or ground) the neutral and ground are connected at one point only usually in your panel but sometimes in the meter-base. there is approx. 240 volts potential between the two "hot" wires. Both wires are approx. 120 volts each to the neutral. each "hot" wire is also known as a "phase". If you could see the electrical panel with no breakers in it you would notice that one "hot" wire (or phase) feeds half of the breaker spaces and the other "hot" wire feeds the other half but the panel is not split up as it might look (left and right halves). Each phase feeds every other space vertically. So the top two breakers would be fed from "A phase" then the second two by "B phase" and so on down the panel. (this allows a double wide or 2-pole breaker to span both phases and feed 240 volts to your electric range or dryer). Now to your question: Due to the way Alternating Current (AC) is generated, the two phases are polar opposites of each other. When "a-phase" is at it's peak, "b-phase" is at it's lowest point. The neutral corresponding to it's phase conductor follows this pattern. As long as the two circuits are on opposite phases, those two circuits can share one neutral conductor with no overloading problems. If you share one neutral with two circuits from the same phase, you will over-load that neutral and it could create enough heat to potentially cause a fire. There is no over-load protection connected directly to the neutral. Electricians share neutrals for a few reasons. It eliminates wiring costs and also reduces the number of conductors in conduits. You will have problems if you try to share a neutral on circuits requiring GFCI or Arc Fault protection. It causes nuisance tripping and major headaches for all. Sharing neutrals has been a common practice for years. In three-phase systems(common in commercail and industrial buildings), three circuits can share one neutral as they are 120 degrees from each other.(picture a round generator of 360 degrees total).
Wiki User
∙ 17y ago
Ground wires are essential for electrical safety, as they provide a path for electrical current to safely flow to the ground in case of a fault. They are typically shared among multiple electrical devices within a circuit to ensure that excess electricity is safely directed away from the devices and into the ground wire. Ground wires should always be properly connected and maintained to prevent electrical hazards.
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Can grounds and neutral wire share same buss bar?
No, the ground and neutral wires should not share the same bus bar in an electrical panel. The ground wire is for safety and should be connected to the ground bus bar, while the neutral wire is for returning current and should be connected to the neutral bus bar. Mixing them can cause dangerous conditions like electrical shock or fires.
Can two circuit share the same common and ground wires?
Yes, two circuits can share the same common wire, also known as a neutral wire. However, it is best practice to keep the ground wires separate for safety reasons to ensure proper grounding and avoid interfering with the functioning of the circuits.
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 ground wire the same as the negative wire in speaker wire?
No, the ground wire and the negative wire in speaker wire are not the same. The negative wire carries the audio signal, while the ground wire provides a path for electrical safety and interference reduction. Both wires are essential for proper speaker operation.
What do you need and how can you install a ground cable if your 240V outlet doesn't have a ground wire?
You will need a ground rod, ground wire, and grounding clamp. To install a ground cable, drive the ground rod into the soil near your outlet's location, then securely attach the ground wire to the rod using a grounding clamp. Connect the other end of the ground wire to the outlet's metal box or any existing ground wire in the electrical system.
Can grounds and neutral wire share same buss bar?
No, the ground and neutral wires should not share the same bus bar in an electrical panel. The ground wire is for safety and should be connected to the ground bus bar, while the neutral wire is for returning current and should be connected to the neutral bus bar. Mixing them can cause dangerous conditions like electrical shock or fires.
What is meant by ground wire?
It means a wire in the ground.
What do you do with the ground wire when installing a new thermostat that doesn't have a connection for the ground wire It's a 4 wire Honeywell thermostat Is it ok to not connect the ground wire?
That Thermostat is LOW voltage. IT does not have a ground wire. There is no need for a ground. it only opperates on 24 volts. there may be a green wire but it does not mean it is a ground
How do I rewire an ungrounded plug?
If there is no ground wire connect the ground wire to the neutral wire.
How do I test for a ground wire?
Check the continuity of the ground wire from both the ends. Ensure the ground wire is properly connected to earth / ground terminals
How do you wire a wire to a wire?
If you are connecting 120 volts, you connect the black wire to the breaker, white wire to the neutral bar, and ground wire to the ground bar. If you are connecting 240 volts connect the black & white wires to the breaker, & ground wire to the ground bar.
Can a ground wire be connected to the white neutral in Clearwater Florida if no ground wire ia available?
Yes, if there in no ground wire that is acceptable on a home with no ground wires.
How do you tell if the ground wire is bad?
If the voltage between real ground and the ground wire is not 0.0000 Volt, then the wire is not grounded properly.
Does all romex have a ground wire?
Some older wire does not have a ground. All you can do in that case is use a jumper wire to connect the ground to the neutral.
What wire is the hot wire and ground wire in a 1990 cutlass supreme?
the hot wire goes to the starter and the ground wire bolts to the engine block.
How do you bypass the e break for the dual dvd710?
Easy, Ground it with your stereo ground wire.... (make the pink wire and black wire connect to the Main Ground wire which is also Black)
Can two circuit share the same common and ground wires?
Yes, two circuits can share the same common wire, also known as a neutral wire. However, it is best practice to keep the ground wires separate for safety reasons to ensure proper grounding and avoid interfering with the functioning of the circuits.
