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So that you will know it is the earth ground wire and not the neutral wire or the hot wire. The neutral white wire is not necessarily connected to the same place as the earth ground wire. It is also bare because it does not matter if it touches a metal exterior since it is supposed to be connected to that anyway for safety. Both the neutral white wire and the hot black wire are insulated so they will not normally short to the bare ground wire.

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15y ago
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5mo ago

A ground wire can be bare because it does not carry current under normal conditions. Its primary purpose is to provide a safe path for current to flow in the event of a fault, such as a short circuit, to protect against electric shock or fires. The bare copper wire helps to maximize conductivity and reduce resistance in the ground connection.

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14y ago

A ground wire can be bare because it is not a current carrying conductor. It is at the same potential as all the rest of the metallic conductive objects that make up the electrical system that the ground wire is grounding.

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11y ago

For the same reason that the majority of all electrical wiring is done with copper wire. It is a good conductor of electricity and the mineral is readily available at a lower cost of production than other conductive materials.

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Q: Why can a ground wire be bare?
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Can a insulated ground wire be used in lieu of a tinned bare ground wire?

No, an insulated ground wire cannot be used in place of a tinned bare ground wire. The grounding wire must have a bare tinned copper conductor to provide a proper and effective path for excess electrical currents to flow safely to ground. Using an insulated wire can create safety hazards and may not meet electrical code requirements.


What is the minimum ground wire size for a 20 amp 110 volt circuit?

The ground wire in a two or three conductor #12 cable is a #14 bare ground wire.


White wire a black wire a red wire and a bare wire?

The white wire is typically neutral, the black wire is usually hot or live, the red wire may be a secondary live wire or used for a separate function, and the bare wire is typically the ground wire for safety purposes in an electrical circuit.


What size is the bare stranded copper ground wire that is shipped with the sdc?

The bare stranded copper ground wire that is shipped with the SDC is typically 10 AWG (American Wire Gauge). It is commonly used for grounding electrical systems to prevent electrical hazards.


The 10-30 receptacle for the dryer has 3 wires white black and bare The volage across bare-white bare-black is 120v Is there any way the bare is neutral or is it ground?

The bare is ground. A bare conductor can only be used as a ground. The dryer doesn't need a neutral, its power flows from one hot (black) to the other (white). A load using only one hot needs a neutral to return to the panel. To make things easier to understand, when using 2 conductor w/ground romex for this (which already contains only black, white, and bare wires), I would color the white wire red with electrical tape on both ends. This way it won't be confused with a neutral.

Related questions

Why can ground wire be bare?

A ground wire can be bare because it is not a current carrying conductor. It is at the same potential as all the rest of the metallic conductive objects that make up the electrical system that the ground wire is grounding.


Why does an electrical circuit have a copper wire?

If you mean a bare copper wire, that is the "ground" wire.


Why do my rear lights not work?

Could have a short in your wire, a bare wire touching bare metal could cause it to ground out.


Is a copper wire a ground wire?

Yes, if it is not an insulated wire. If it is bare copper it is always ground. But the hot and neutral wire are also copper, they are just insulated.


Where do you ground amp wire in mercury sable?

you can ground it right to the frame. just find a bare spot and put a screw with the ground wire


Can a insulated ground wire be used in lieu of a tinned bare ground wire?

No, an insulated ground wire cannot be used in place of a tinned bare ground wire. The grounding wire must have a bare tinned copper conductor to provide a proper and effective path for excess electrical currents to flow safely to ground. Using an insulated wire can create safety hazards and may not meet electrical code requirements.


What is the minimum ground wire size for a 20 amp 110 volt circuit?

The ground wire in a two or three conductor #12 cable is a #14 bare ground wire.


When wiring a range the outlet has a neutral ground and 2 hots you have three wires do you put the bare wire in the neutral or ground on the outlet?

the bare copper is always a ground


Does the ground wire on a 200 amp box need to be 3 ought also?

No, you can use #4 bare copper ground wire.


How do you connect a electrical outlet at home?

Black wire to copper screw, white wire to silver screw, bare copper ground wire to green ground screw.


White wire a black wire a red wire and a bare wire?

The white wire is typically neutral, the black wire is usually hot or live, the red wire may be a secondary live wire or used for a separate function, and the bare wire is typically the ground wire for safety purposes in an electrical circuit.


Do ground wires have to be covered with wire insulation?

Not always, the electrical code is quite specific as to the type of installation where the ground wire needs to be insulated and in what type of installation the ground wire can use bare copper.