Re: Potentially stupid question about AC

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Herbert Fung writes ...
> 
> In <37BD2758.613CD746@swbell.net>, Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net> writes:
> 
> >     I don't know if white (neutral) is commonly tied to a grounding rod at the
> >utility pole (where the transformer is), at your home, or at either place.
 ....

> 
> I don't know about the pole, but recently I built a sub panel for my friend and
> found out that neutral is attached to the chassis of the panel as well as ground.
>

     Connecting the neutral ("center") line to a good earth ground at some single
point after it comes in from the power line seems to make sense. (But, I don't really
know if this is standard.) 

 
> What I'm not so sure now is when I built the panel I split the red and the black
> to different outlets to isolate them, to prevent audio feedback, but from what
> I've been told, the red and the black are both 110V. I don't know much about
> electricity so I just trust the guys at Home Depot.

     Sending Red and Black to different circuits sounds right. The neutral (usually
White) lead would go to each circuit and be the other side of the 110V.

> 
> >Touching the black and white wires at the same time will definitely deliver a
> >serious shock.
> 
> Touching any live wire would be an extremely unwise idea. Trust me, I know
> several years ago when I replaced the infinate temperature control on my oven
> I forgot to turn off the breaker. I'll not forget that again.
 ....

     Glad I finished rewiring that stovetop before reading the above! Even with the
breaker OFF (and a meter to check for volatge) pulling and cramming those heavy guage
bare ended leads is pretty scary.



Rubywand