[Amps] NEC-think.

m.ford k1ern at direcway.com
Fri Jan 6 00:38:00 EST 2006


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "R.Measures" <r at somis.org>
To: "John Popelish" <jpopelish at rica.net>
Cc: <Amps at contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 12:15 AM
Subject: Re: [Amps] NEC-think.



On Jan 5, 2006, at 2:08 PM, John Popelish wrote:

> R.Measures wrote:
>
>> Without a ground/bond wire wouldn't connecting the Neutral wire to the
>> metal enclosure hold the enclosure to a safe potential until the
>> breaker trips?
>
> The neutral carries load current,

•   In a 240v appliance, why would it?

>  so it may have some voltage drop at
> the appliance end, compared to the end at the power panel.  And if it
> ever goes high resistance, then the moment any load is connected to
> it, it has full line voltage on it.  So a single failure (open
> neutral) would produce a shock hazard if the case were attached to it,
> the moment the appliance was turned on (a moment someone is likely to
> be touching the case, also).

•  For a shock hazard to exist, the person would also need to be
grounded.  The Neutral wire on the 240v outlet in my radio room is
#6-ga.  What would make the resistance of the Neutral go high and
simultaneously connect one Line wire to the enclosure?

Rodents?  knaw.  Lightning?  Maybe.  But you're toast anyway.
How about a tree on the service drop ripping the neutral open right
through the wall and twistin the legs to bare metal in the box?
Hey. It could happen.

Mike k1ern

>
> The safety ground never carries current under normal conditions, so it
> take two failures (hot faulted to metal case and open ground
> conductor) to produce an unsafe condition.
>

Richard L. Measures, AG6K, 805.386.3734.  www.somis.org




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