Why is a ground wire used?
video description
It is tied to to, but different in purpose from the grounding electrode/grounding electrode conductor bonded to one live conductor to create the neutral and create a parallel circuit to cap the voltage spikes from induced currents caused by lightning, or inductive load switching via a ground path between the grounding electrode at the transformer and the one at the service entrance. (Note there are other types of utility service provisions that handle this differently in some areas, but this is common in US detached residential electrical service) The voltage spikes from induced currents created the chance of arcing and hence fires. Think all the simulated arcs in the Hollywood depiction of Frankenstein's laboratory during the electrical storm. The doc needed a good grounding electrode/grounding electrode conductor set up, but he was in a stone castle so fire was less of a risk.
Date: 2023-11-17
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Comments and reviews: 22
education
Ideally. Will never be used
That's not exactly true, during thunderstorms large metal objects like fridges and bridges get charged externally. In those cases the ground wire neutralizes the charge of the metal.
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I guess it depends on the context of the word ideal. The ground wire doesn't get used in contrived on paper ideal conditions, but it does get used in normal conditions several times a month. If you live near Lake Maracaibo, you'll be using it 160+ days of the year.
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This also explains why Japan doesn't put them on outlets as often. Their appliances are smaller, covered in plastic and they have less nosy children to poke at the outlets.
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Ideally. Will never be used
That's not exactly true, during thunderstorms large metal objects like fridges and bridges get charged externally. In those cases the ground wire neutralizes the charge of the metal.
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I guess it depends on the context of the word ideal. The ground wire doesn't get used in contrived on paper ideal conditions, but it does get used in normal conditions several times a month. If you live near Lake Maracaibo, you'll be using it 160+ days of the year.
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This also explains why Japan doesn't put them on outlets as often. Their appliances are smaller, covered in plastic and they have less nosy children to poke at the outlets.
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rkalle66
The safety is not the ground wire but the protective devices shutting off at fault (over current and/or residual current protection. But the ground wires make them work. Without ground wire the current will not flow back to the source in case of a fault. This is because the ground wires are connected to the neutral ONLY at main panel.
The biggest misconception is earthing/grounding. But this is a different story. Short: Earthing is to protect the electrical system agains high voltage surges. You have to understand very high voltage (electromagnetic fields of lightnings) at high frequencies for this.
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The safety is not the ground wire but the protective devices shutting off at fault (over current and/or residual current protection. But the ground wires make them work. Without ground wire the current will not flow back to the source in case of a fault. This is because the ground wires are connected to the neutral ONLY at main panel.
The biggest misconception is earthing/grounding. But this is a different story. Short: Earthing is to protect the electrical system agains high voltage surges. You have to understand very high voltage (electromagnetic fields of lightnings) at high frequencies for this.
reply
SoulessSeoul
Hi, great video but can you dumb this down even more?
So. if we jump start a car, how does electricity flow when the circuit isn't complete? (Car A positive, Car B Positive, Car B negative, Car A ground)
The simplest way I see it is that a circuit needs to be a full circle for electricity flow, and isn't that what we are trying to do when jump starting a car?
Unless it's like lightning and can go one way and then dissipate. Also, since cars are on rubber tires. how does the ground work? Does the metal body
provide resistance for the electricity to dissipate in case of a ground fault?
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Hi, great video but can you dumb this down even more?
So. if we jump start a car, how does electricity flow when the circuit isn't complete? (Car A positive, Car B Positive, Car B negative, Car A ground)
The simplest way I see it is that a circuit needs to be a full circle for electricity flow, and isn't that what we are trying to do when jump starting a car?
Unless it's like lightning and can go one way and then dissipate. Also, since cars are on rubber tires. how does the ground work? Does the metal body
provide resistance for the electricity to dissipate in case of a ground fault?
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Nicholas
A lesser mentioned benefit of the ground wire is it comes in handy endlessly when troubleshooting. For example if a device is acting like it doesnt have power, due to an open neutral situation, if all you had to measure voltage across at the outlet were hot and neutral you may read 0 or very little voltage, even though you DO have the full potential of incoming line power. The full voltage drop is occuring at the point where the neutral is open. Measuring hot to ground at the receptacle in this instance would read 120 volts
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A lesser mentioned benefit of the ground wire is it comes in handy endlessly when troubleshooting. For example if a device is acting like it doesnt have power, due to an open neutral situation, if all you had to measure voltage across at the outlet were hot and neutral you may read 0 or very little voltage, even though you DO have the full potential of incoming line power. The full voltage drop is occuring at the point where the neutral is open. Measuring hot to ground at the receptacle in this instance would read 120 volts
reply
Essentials
A ground wire is used to provide a safe path for electrical current to follow in the event of a fault or other problem in the electrical circuit. This helps to prevent electrical shocks and other potentially dangerous situations. In most cases, the ground wire is connected to the metal frame of an appliance or electrical device, which provides a low-resistance path to the earth and allows any excess current to be safely dissipated. This can help to prevent electrical fires and other hazards.
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A ground wire is used to provide a safe path for electrical current to follow in the event of a fault or other problem in the electrical circuit. This helps to prevent electrical shocks and other potentially dangerous situations. In most cases, the ground wire is connected to the metal frame of an appliance or electrical device, which provides a low-resistance path to the earth and allows any excess current to be safely dissipated. This can help to prevent electrical fires and other hazards.
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education
you could have explaned that current would not flow to the ground if we would not connet the neutral to the ground and that neutral and ground wire are the same
i think its iportent to understand that there needs to be a potential differenz otherwise the currend would not flow
or in other words IF there is NO connecton between neutral and eath you would be able to toucht a bare kable and nothing would happen to you
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you could have explaned that current would not flow to the ground if we would not connet the neutral to the ground and that neutral and ground wire are the same
i think its iportent to understand that there needs to be a potential differenz otherwise the currend would not flow
or in other words IF there is NO connecton between neutral and eath you would be able to toucht a bare kable and nothing would happen to you
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Timothy
Seeing the neutral return through the transformer and back into the service through the hot wire, does the smart meter differentiate between newly pulled power to use for other devices and the recycled power, or does it just continue to charge you for electrical usage anyway despite a small portion of the power consumed actually being returned from other devices that are powered at the same time?
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Seeing the neutral return through the transformer and back into the service through the hot wire, does the smart meter differentiate between newly pulled power to use for other devices and the recycled power, or does it just continue to charge you for electrical usage anyway despite a small portion of the power consumed actually being returned from other devices that are powered at the same time?
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Donramon22
Im new to this so bare with me. If there is a ground wire coming out of the Romex wire (that has hot, neutral, and ground) and if im installing a ceiling fan, do I have to wrap the ground wire (from the ceiling fan) to the ground screw of the metal box? Or can I just pigtail the ground wire of the ceiling fan to the ground wire of the romex?
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Im new to this so bare with me. If there is a ground wire coming out of the Romex wire (that has hot, neutral, and ground) and if im installing a ceiling fan, do I have to wrap the ground wire (from the ceiling fan) to the ground screw of the metal box? Or can I just pigtail the ground wire of the ceiling fan to the ground wire of the romex?
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Matt
Can you ground an outlet by just running a wire from one grounded outlet to another ungrounded outlet? That's how I grounded an outlet on the other side of my bedroom, ran a wire from the grounded box into the basement up into the ungrounded box and connected just the ground and cut the unconnected white and black
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Can you ground an outlet by just running a wire from one grounded outlet to another ungrounded outlet? That's how I grounded an outlet on the other side of my bedroom, ran a wire from the grounded box into the basement up into the ungrounded box and connected just the ground and cut the unconnected white and black
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The
This ground wires is an essential for safety measures. Without it, you can experience electrical shock if you come in contact a metal(if there are some source of leak inside the wire. I have an experienced when touching washing machine as when I was a kid. It was painful.
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This ground wires is an essential for safety measures. Without it, you can experience electrical shock if you come in contact a metal(if there are some source of leak inside the wire. I have an experienced when touching washing machine as when I was a kid. It was painful.
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Slow
This was the question that was keeping me up at nights. To hell with all of that existential crap. Forget about the meaning of it all. I wanted to know WHY GROUND WIRES? And now I know. And I can die a boring man. Cheers.
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This was the question that was keeping me up at nights. To hell with all of that existential crap. Forget about the meaning of it all. I wanted to know WHY GROUND WIRES? And now I know. And I can die a boring man. Cheers.
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Artomix
I'm not sure this really answers why ground wires are used, in the example given you could simply bond the metal casing of whatever appliance to the neutral wire and achieve the same result.
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I'm not sure this really answers why ground wires are used, in the example given you could simply bond the metal casing of whatever appliance to the neutral wire and achieve the same result.
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Zero
I live in an old house we get 110 volts in it. Some outlets ( mostly AC ) have two postive wires one right one left 220 volts compained. How does that work? Can someone explain that?
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I live in an old house we get 110 volts in it. Some outlets ( mostly AC ) have two postive wires one right one left 220 volts compained. How does that work? Can someone explain that?
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adee26
so ground wire functions in a way to prevent the current flowing through equipment that is made of metal or stainless steel. sorry for my english. correct me if i am wrong.
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so ground wire functions in a way to prevent the current flowing through equipment that is made of metal or stainless steel. sorry for my english. correct me if i am wrong.
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Papa
Ty for all of your video. You have truly gave me so much knowledge and are a big part of why I love electronics so thank you so very much for all you do and your time!
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Ty for all of your video. You have truly gave me so much knowledge and are a big part of why I love electronics so thank you so very much for all you do and your time!
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nA
are there any countries where the outlets dont have a ground wire connection? if so, is it due to an alternative safety measure which would be great if you could cover.
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are there any countries where the outlets dont have a ground wire connection? if so, is it due to an alternative safety measure which would be great if you could cover.
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Unlucky
Question: why is the ground wire routed all the way back to the ground bar in the breaker box? Why not just jump the neutral to the ground at the outlet?
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Question: why is the ground wire routed all the way back to the ground bar in the breaker box? Why not just jump the neutral to the ground at the outlet?
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Josh
Helpful video, tho I found myself struggling to know which part you were talking about. Possible to use a pointer or highlight stuff?
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Helpful video, tho I found myself struggling to know which part you were talking about. Possible to use a pointer or highlight stuff?
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Passions
So if you didn't have a ground wire connected and a short occur, the circuit breaker will never trip then? Or will it still trip?
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So if you didn't have a ground wire connected and a short occur, the circuit breaker will never trip then? Or will it still trip?
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Victor
My home's energy plugs have no third wire besides hot and neutral. Is that really as dangerous as I fear? What should I do?
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My home's energy plugs have no third wire besides hot and neutral. Is that really as dangerous as I fear? What should I do?
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Daniel
Wow! This is very informative, thanks for sharing it with us. It worth it and the best tutorial on the topic for me.
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Wow! This is very informative, thanks for sharing it with us. It worth it and the best tutorial on the topic for me.
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Jski
Fun fact there are no ground wires in Chicago homes nor is it required since everything is bonded through the conduit.
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Fun fact there are no ground wires in Chicago homes nor is it required since everything is bonded through the conduit.
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