[TowerTalk] CQ article error(?)

[Ian White G/GM3SEK]

Jim Lux wrote:
>> The power company also grounds the
>>neutral connection at the transformer to earth ground.
>
>Not necessarily.. for the same reason as you have a single interconnect 
>between neutral and ground.  You don't want neutral return currents 
>flowing back to the transformer via the ground path.
>
>Also, if the neutral opens between your house and the transformer 
>(which does happen, particularly on an overhead service), you don't 
>want the entire neutral return current flowing through ground.  You'd 
>rather have the voltages on the two sides become unbalanced. Radical 
>voltage fluctations may destroy equipment, but at least it doesn't 
>create a shock safety hazard.

Interesting... the power companies in the UK take a different view. In 
the event of a neutral break in their local distribution system (230V 
single-phase, neutral close to earth potential) they'd rather have the 
return current flowing back through earth than create a shock hazard due 
to the neutral becoming hot.

Therefore they almost always earth the neutral at the transformer, 
and/or anyplace else they conveniently can. Having made that policy 
decision a long time back, they have created the expectation that 
neutral will be safe to touch when doing household wiring work, so now 
they're perpetually locked into that policy.



-- 
73 from Ian G/GM3SEK