Two breakers share the same neutral

[paul]

Ok, I apologize. I "mis-spoke" (you mean I lied) when I called the Neutral wire the Ground wire even though they are both tied to the same bus bar. Not that I don't know the difference in the function of both neutral and ground wiring, my tongue just got tangled up in my 84 year old teeth.....and it's probably going to get worse over time.

It’s important to maintain the difference and different uses of the neutral and ground wires in a properly operating electrical system.

It is very common for people to confuse the two terms with each other, myself included. Often it is just a slip of the moment we know it right but the wrong word comes out; but often enough folk really don’t know or understand the difference.

And, the difference is important, and so every time it comes up, the discussion has to be had.

Hot wire brings in the electricity.

Neutral wire is part of the circuit and carries the current back full circle.

Ground wire in a perfect world is never used, it’s an insurance policy if things go wrong. it offers a path of least resistance so people don’t fry, buildings don’t burn when there is a problem. For it to stand by and do its job, it needs to be left alone as its own wire standing guard.



In this thread, the special wiring is bringing in 2 hot wires from different legs, and has one neutral wire completing the circuit. But any time both legs are being used here they are balancing each other. AC current flows plus and minus, as one leg is plus the other is minus, and so they are using each other to complete the circuit. The neutral in this special wiring only ever carries ‘extra’ current when one outlet is using more current than the other. Thus the neutral doesn’t need to be bigger than either hot wire, it will never be asked to flow more than one breaker full. But, keeping it all proper and safe and understandable is a bit more complicated, as we see in this thread.

Paul

 

[tomturkey]

I scrolled down thru a lot of comments before I came upon a post from John T. I was getting worried that the Florida sun had weakened his typeing fingers. Not a quote, but almost. No questions bring more responses or opinions than electrical questions!!!. Hope all is well with the John Teees gobble

 

[Texasmark]

I scrolled down thru a lot of comments before I came upon a post from John T. I was getting worried that the Florida sun had weakened his typeing fingers. Not a quote, but almost. No questions bring more responses or opinions than electrical questions!!!. Hope all is well with the John Teees gobble

He answered yesterday and said he was making do with his age....more or less.....like I am.

 

[Texasmark]

It’s important to maintain the difference and different uses of the neutral and ground wires in a properly operating electrical system.

It is very common for people to confuse the two terms with each other, myself included. Often it is just a slip of the moment we know it right but the wrong word comes out; but often enough folk really don’t know or understand the difference.

And, the difference is important, and so every time it comes up, the discussion has to be had.

Hot wire brings in the electricity.

Neutral wire is part of the circuit and carries the current back full circle.

Ground wire in a perfect world is never used, it’s an insurance policy if things go wrong. it offers a path of least resistance so people don’t fry, buildings don’t burn when there is a problem. For it to stand by and do its job, it needs to be left alone as its own wire standing guard.



In this thread, the special wiring is bringing in 2 hot wires from different legs, and has one neutral wire completing the circuit. But any time both legs are being used here they are balancing each other. AC current flows plus and minus, as one leg is plus the other is minus, and so they are using each other to complete the circuit. The neutral in this special wiring only ever carries ‘extra’ current when one outlet is using more current than the other. Thus the neutral doesn’t need to be bigger than either hot wire, it will never be asked to flow more than one breaker full. But, keeping it all proper and safe and understandable is a bit more complicated, as we see in this thread.

Paul

Thank you sir.....for the gracious understanding. Grin

 

[John T]

I scrolled down thru a lot of comments before I came upon a post from John T. I was getting worried that the Florida sun had weakened his typeing fingers. Not a quote, but almost. No questions bring more responses or opinions than electrical questions!!!. Hope all is well with the John Teees gobble

Thanks Tom, its good to feel better and be back

John T

 

[John T]

It’s important to maintain the difference and different uses of the neutral and ground wires in a properly operating electrical system.

It is very common for people to confuse the two terms with each other, myself included. Often it is just a slip of the moment we know it right but the wrong word comes out; but often enough folk really don’t know or understand the difference.

And, the difference is important, and so every time it comes up, the discussion has to be had.

Hot wire brings in the electricity.

Neutral wire is part of the circuit and carries the current back full circle.

Ground wire in a perfect world is never used, it’s an insurance policy if things go wrong. it offers a path of least resistance so people don’t fry, buildings don’t burn when there is a problem. For it to stand by and do its job, it needs to be left alone as its own wire standing guard.



In this thread, the special wiring is bringing in 2 hot wires from different legs, and has one neutral wire completing the circuit. But any time both legs are being used here they are balancing each other. AC current flows plus and minus, as one leg is plus the other is minus, and so they are using each other to complete the circuit. The neutral in this special wiring only ever carries ‘extra’ current when one outlet is using more current than the other. Thus the neutral doesn’t need to be bigger than either hot wire, it will never be asked to flow more than one breaker full. But, keeping it all proper and safe and understandable is a bit more complicated, as we see in this thread.

Paul

Good job, agrees pretty well with mine and several others comments !!!!!!!!!! Dont forget as I mentioned to work the service Neutral must be bonded not floating...

Have a good day

John T