Re: Potentially stupid question about AC

[mystix@direct.ca (Herbert Fung)]

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. Even
>if it is, you would be likely to measure some voltage from neutral at a wall
>socket to earth ground because lights, etc. on the same circuit are pulling
>current through the neutral line and your household wires are not perfect
>conductors. (That is, the neutral line on a particular socket could behave
>something like a tap on a resistor connected across a voltage.)

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.

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.

>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.

--
Herbert Fung
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