Questions tagged [neutral]
a circuit conductor that normally carries current, and is connected to ground (earth) at the main electrical panel.
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65 views
Neutral wiring in residential homes
I understand from the diagram below that the neutral wire provides a return path to complete the circuit so that the current can flow.
But once the current goes back to the distribution transformer, ...
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1answer
118 views
Why no current in neutral wire_kids question
One school child asked me -
If current means flow of electrons, or entering to a bulb from one wire (Live) then going back through another wire, then why there is no current in the neutral wire, ...
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1answer
65 views
Why short circuit occur when the hot line touches the neutral wire (aka ground)?
The charges move from negative (hot wire) to positive/negative (neutral) to make the device work right? So why would the Short occur only when they are directly connected? Wouldn't they just flow ...
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Circuit for Neutral point of 3-Phase mains
I wonder if the 'Neutral Point' as mentioned in the attached image is correctly labeled or not? Is there any mistake in this 3-phase circuit design?
Edit 1:
Also it looks like the 'Neutral point' is ...
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1answer
96 views
Odd voltage readings between phase-ground, phase-neutral, neutral-ground
Recently i tried gathering voltages from few AC outlets in my house. I got following readings using a dmm
Phase-Ground = 398V-400V (should be around 240V)
Phase-Neutral = 230 V
Neutral-Ground= 210 V ...
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1answer
47 views
Question on Ground/Neutral connection for a 220V equipment
I sketched the following schematic from a motor controller board that has to be operated at 220V from L1 to L2. The earth wire is connected to the chassis of the machine. Where I live, it's common to ...
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1answer
47 views
Home electrical transmission question [closed]
AC current is sine wave with 60 hz frequency - how is this helpful in understanding electricity and transmission? Does the sine wave progress through electric wire or stands static and oscillates?
...
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1answer
92 views
Why is earth at 0 V with respect to phase?
In 3 phase transmission lines we have different voltages depending on how we measure it. Phase to phase voltage is going to be 1.73 times more than phase to neutral. So far I understand everything ...
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4answers
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Why cut both live and neutral wires?
It is a common practice, for high power loads such as boilers, furnaces, etc., to install a circuit breaker that "cuts" both live and neutral wires - at least in Europe.
In my search for EVSE, I saw ...
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1answer
138 views
Can connecting just neutral wire of power supply to a PCB (VDD not connected) cause sparks and burn out decoupling capacitor?
I have an embedded system and one of the PCBs in the module should be connected to a 5V power supply -> positive(+) and neutral(-). The NEUTRAL knob is directly tied to the GROUND knob in the power ...
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6answers
8k views
Am I compensated by the electricity company for electricity that exits my home on the neutral wire? [closed]
DISCLAIMER: I am not an electrician or electrical engineer.
Let's say that all I have running in my home is a 10 watt LED light bulb (nothing else). This bulb uses very little of the electricity ...
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2answers
114 views
Meggering Three Phase Motor (Phase-GND, Phase-Neutral, GND-Neutral)
When meggering a three phase motor, could someone please help me understand the values we would expect to see for a motor with no insulation or ground faults.
From my understanding:
Phase-GND: ...
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1answer
4k views
Why is neutral wire connected to ground at the transformer?
I understand the use of ground wire at the home appliances but why is the neutral wire connected to ground at the transformer? Why doesn't the neutral wire go back to the power generation plants.
I ...
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2answers
392 views
Why is neutral required in three phase charging of Electric vehicles?
Talking about both three-phase AC as well as DC fast charging (wherein 3 phase AC is converted to DC) in EVs, I think that the 3-phase rectifier represents a balanced 'load'. Therefore I want to know ...
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0answers
39 views
Can I swap active/neutral on an isolated 240V power supply? [duplicate]
I'm looking at using a Meanwell IRM-03 isolated switchmode power supply (datasheet) in a project but the active/neutral pins are arranged in an inconvenient way for the PCB tracks. It would be a heap ...
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2answers
106 views
480v delta/400v wye with Neutral ungrounded
I have a European machine using a 480/400 volt three phase transformer. The neutral conductor is used to power some devices at 230 volt. The manuf. insists that the neutral must not be solidly ...
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1answer
66 views
Earth& neutral voltage detection
Can someone suggest me circuit to detect the earth to neutral voltage. I would like to trip relay coil using microcontroller if earth to neutral voltage exceeds 3v.
There are device RCB and RCBO ...
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1answer
102 views
How does circuit completes when physical ground(earth) is used as neutral? [duplicate]
In my locality there is no neutral wire. Our transmission company runs only 3 wires(all line/phase) and no neutral(4th wire) at all. Out of three, one runs to our houses. I know it sounds incorrect, ...
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2answers
1k views
Where does branch circuit neutral current go in a single phase or three phase electrical panel?
Specifically, I would like to know the exact path of travel for the neutral current when it comes back from a load to the electrical panel. I am an electrician of 20 years and have recently acquired ...
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4answers
5k views
Why is the neutral pin hotter than the live pin?
I frequently use an Immersion Rod Water Heater (shown below) and I have noticed that the after unplugging the heater, the neutral pin of the 3 pin plug is quite hot (about 5 degrees more - but not ...
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1answer
184 views
How to overcome weak neutral from electric company?
suppose I am using very good earths ( let 2 numbers) at my home to avoid the risk of failure of neutral of electric company. Then should I common my earth with neutral? But if this is done the in case ...
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0answers
141 views
3 phase generator residual voltage
A 3 phase wye-connected, 115 V, 400 Hz generator is used to power a test stand in which a motor controls a wiper arm that operates a three phase Variac to control the voltage across each of the phases....
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4answers
2k views
Neutral and the earth are bonded at the main panel or the substation but why is only earth wire used for safety?
Typical distribution system can be illustrated as:
Here are my premises (and assumptions):
1-) Chassis in a house must be connected to the earth, not to the neutral.
2-) The earth and the neutral ...
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1answer
650 views
Should neutrals be tied together or left separate?
I'm working on a control panel. The panel is powered by 120VAC single phase (USA). The panel has a battery backup unit (UPS) which powers the panel if the incoming power goes out, and which filters ...
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1answer
690 views
Connecting a surge protection device
I've just learned about the surge protection device (SPD). As I was reading about its connection in a three phase line, I came across this scheme:
I understand that the SPD's are there to limit the ...
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1answer
532 views
What would happen if a neutral wire and a hot wire were vastly different lengths?
Pretend you had a 120v load, where the hot (ungrounded conductor) was say only 5 feet in length from the source to the load, but the neutral was say, 1000 feet. Excluding things such as voltage drop (...
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5answers
980 views
Why is the Earth a useful reference of electric potential?
I may be a little confusing, but I honestly need a good help to make me understand certain things. I like very much to learn theory, but I feel that if I learn it without associating to the real life, ...
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2answers
47 views
Do 2 conductors (1 grounded via resistor) reach equipotential, before surplus electrons drain to earth?
Case I: a negative conductor makes contact with a neutral conductor. Negative donates some electrons to neutral, until there is 0 potential difference. Then they both are slightly negative.
This ...
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1answer
515 views
Grounding conductor has a non-zero voltage (i.e. with respect to “true” ground). Why?
We're building a new house and I'm not confident with the skills of the electrician who installed the receptacles. In our country, residential structures are supplied with 240 V, 60 Hz (single phase).
...
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0answers
68 views
Neutral vs Ground (again) [duplicate]
This topic seems to have been repeated, but I'm not finding an answer that really answers my question.
Just to get terminology down for this question.
Neutral is the path that carries the return ...
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1answer
370 views
High neutral-to-ground voltage of switching mode power supplies
I am attempting to create a sine wave signal from 0V to 12V at 40 Hz and up to 1.4A, with original power input 120VAC 60 Hz wall power. I've come up with the circuit below, which I'm pretty sure ...
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3answers
3k views
Does reversing polarity in AC damage the equipment? (Sonoff Wifi Switch) [closed]
Firstly, I am a beginner. Excuse me if this is a dumb question.
I have ordered a Wi-Fi switch named Sonoff. I have a doubt whether the device will work if the polarity is reversed or will it get ...
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3answers
815 views
50 Volts on the Neutral (180 Volts on the Live) bad or safe?
We have an off-grid UK home on occasion powered by a generator (MOSA GE 6000 SX/GS).
Due to the design of the generator, it has two modes: centre-tapped-earth 110 V, and 230 V. When running in 230 V ...
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2answers
123 views
How does having neutral make electrical systems safer than electronic systems which do not have neutral? [duplicate]
Electrical systems have neutral besides live and ground. Electronic systems have only VCC and gnd. I read that having neutral is necessary for safety in electrical systems because of the higher ...
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3answers
388 views
Why do electrical systems have neutral, live and ground when electronic systems have only VCC and ground?
Wouldn't it be simpler if electrical systems take away the neutral and just have live and ground similar to electronic systems?
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0answers
175 views
Effect of the neutral current to a system when a 3-phase facility is used as unbalanced
Normally 3 phase-systems are used for balanced loads like in 3-phase AC induction motors. I know that in a balanced star configuration the total current across the neutral is zero.
But what if each ...
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7answers
3k views
Neutral and live holes/wires
Is the neutral hole socket on the left or the right side? Is this universal to all countries and most houses?
The neutral wire is usually at 0V relative to earth right? Or 0V RMS? HYPOTHETICALLY, if ...
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4answers
711 views
Hot and neutral have similar voltage to ground - finding the problem
I have an APC battery backup and surge protector for my computer. It has a light, labeled "Building wiring fault." This light is on, and my computer will not start. I am unemployed and my landlord is ...
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1answer
8k views
when does the neutral wire in a 3 phase system carry voltage?
I am curious, and I've found a bit of information online, but maybe its not clicking in my head... when does the neutral line in a 3 phase system carry voltage.
i do understand the answer is quite ...
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3answers
120 views
Using the neutral instead of the earth to supply electrons
I'm working on a VAN DE GRAAFF generator and I need to connect the bottom comb to the earth ground.
But in my country we do not have a ground line .
Can i use the neutral line instead and connect the ...
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2answers
3k views
How to calculate the neutral wire size of a home (department)?
I know that in electrical grid, Neutral wire is a non current carrying conductors so its cross section area is smaller than the cross section area of the live conductors. I think it has half of size ...
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4answers
359 views
In any electrical equipment having single ph 230 v ac supply ,if neutral and earth wire exchanged then what will be the consequence
I am handling the supply in a locomotive coach and have noticed that the neutral and earth wires have been accidentally flipped,inside the appliance(hot case) is there a problem from the safety point ...
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5answers
20k views
Why don't we use neutral wire for to ground devices and earth wire for closing the circuit?
I know that the neutral point of a distribution transformer is connected to the grounding (earthing) wire, so I think they are the same.
Can I use the neutral wire for protecting metal-cased electric ...
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1answer
103 views
Twin wire neutral
I work in the power distribution industry and recently came across a 3-phase LV circuit with "twin-wired neutral" (i.e. two neutral cables inter-winded, therefore five cables total). What would be the ...
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2answers
2k views
What is the difference between neutral and ground?
What is the difference between neutral and ground? I do not understand the difference.
