Another electrical question...

[bomar76]

Re: Another electrical question...

Originally posted by BrianFD:<br /> Dunno about your panelbox, Bomar, but mine are all connected to the same busbar in the panel box... white neutrals and bare grounds, with a #4 cu sol going to a water pipe.

They were wired that way for many years, but it's not an acceptable method now. It's a direct violation of the NEC.

 

[boatneck]

Re: Another electrical question...

To ADMIN

 

[boatneck]

Re: Another electrical question...

TO ADMIN<br />This is an example of a thread that makes no sense without the images. Why bother?

 

[dhammann]

Re: Another electrical question...

DO NOT tie the neutral to the grounding screw!!!! The neutral is a live, voltage and current carrying conductor. If you tie the two together (except at it’s point of origin) you could energize the exterior parts of whatever-it-is that you are plugging in. The equipment ground is supposed to be at zero potential to bleed off or drain any leakage (ground faults) to ground. The neutral is at zero potential ONLY if unbroken or zero resistance (which it never is) It is the voltage gradient across this resistance that will make this a very hazardous situation

 

[BrianFD]

Re: Another electrical question...

Balderdash!<br />Check the transformer feeding your house. It's got a case ground and an insulated secondary bushing that are both tied together, making them the same potential. Both are tied together at the secondary/service neutral wire and to the pole ground, driven in the earth. Samo/samo in my panel box, where I mentioned that the neutrals and the grounds are all tied together. If you've got voltage on your neutral, you've got problems. Current, yes; voltage, no.<br /><br />PS, and Boatneck, the pics were visible at one time. That's where I got the pic in my earlier post to make reference.

 

[crab bait]

Re: Another electrical question...

this is goin' waaay off topic ,now .. !! <br /><br />"potiential,gradient,secondary, primary, transformers, # 4 ground,resistance,impediance, ect.."<br /><br />geeze, the guy just wants to swap a 2-prong to a 3 prong.. <br /><br />listen,,if the box is grounded,, it's easy.. wrap a BARE wire around a screw in the back-of-box.. an put the other end on the ground screw of the recepticale.. <br /><br />if the box is not grounded ,, YOU CAN'T PUT IN A 3 PRONG RECEPTICALE.. <br /><br />unless you CAN ground the box .. by way of runnin' a whole new wire which has a ground.. or run a single 12 gauge wire from box to a COLD WATER pipe via a pipe clamp.. that's it..!! thats your only option..<br /><br />ok,, back to electrical class '102'.. <br /><br />the main panel ( where the utility service comes into is the main panel ).. <br /><br />here,, ALL GROUNDS AN NEUTRALS/white wire must be on the same bus bar.. an ( THE MOST IMPORTAINT THING ) the bonding screw MUST be installed..<br /><br />any panel after the main panel is a sub-panel .. like the little secondary panel in a rec-room/attic/basement..aside from the main panel.. <br /><br />there's only ONE main panel,, but could have many sub-panels on the property..<br /><br />in the sub-panel ,, the grounds an the neutrals/white wires MUST be separate ( on separate bus bars) an insulated an isolated from one another.. an ( THE MOST IMPORTAINT THING ) no bonding srcew is to be used ..<br /><br /> hence,,in insulated an isolated from one another ..

 

[dhud64]

Re: Another electrical question...

This is dhud's wife, I'm sorry to inform you that dhud is in the hospital suffering from severe electrical burns. <br />It seems he was a bit confused. The electricial said all the wires were taped together in one bunch?<br />dhuhd said thanks again for all your help. The electrician got the switches wired.<br />I'll keep you all posted on how things turn out.

 

[BrianFD]

Re: Another electrical question...

 

[crab bait]

Re: Another electrical question...

yeah,, that's funny..!! <br /><br />well, you stay right here.. we'll learn ya..<br /><br />an if'n you didn't learn you lesson here,,, you learned your lesson ,NOW..!!

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Another electrical question...

I'd sure feel uncomfortable getting electrical advise around here, you'd think it's voodoo or something.<br /><br />I'll refrain from adding to the confusion but will say that there is some of correct info here and some otherwise, however well intended. Call an electrician unless you are certain.<br /><br />Funny though, I had a service call a few weeks ago to install a dimmer for a guy who tried to do it himself. Should have been simple but the switch box was a mess thanks to some previous owner's DIY remodeling. Anyway the guy leads me upstairs and shows me a wad of wires sticking out of the wall all wrapped up in packaging tape. All of the joints were apart the wires and metal box were blackened from arcing. He complained that half the outlets in the room no longer worked. The guy must have tried connecting that dimmer to every wire combination in the box, or at least started in that direction until his little explosion happened. Needless to say the dimmer was toast. I retied his wiring and installed a new dimmer in under five minutes. He informed me that he wouldn't be trying to do his own electrical work anymore.