I always thought AC current requires 2 wires to carry the current both ways just like DC. Recently I read a post on this sub saying neutral wires go to ground. What am I missing?
In: 19
For background I’m an electrical engineer.
You’re right, “neutral” is technically ground.
Most homes have 3 wires on their outlets: live (or line), neutral, and ground. Electrical current comes from the live wire from your electrical panel and goes back through the neutral wire back to your electrical panel (usually tied to a big metal bar in your electrical panel called a ground bus). These two wires are connected to the power lines running into your house from the power plant. Under normal operation, this is sufficient to complete the circuit and deliver power to where you want it.
The third wire, ground, is for safety purposes. This wire is tied to a ground bus or metal spike separate from your electrical panel. Spikes in current or voltage will want to go there so it doesn’t damage your electrical panel or the power lines coming into your house.
The live and neutral wires come off of the power lines delivering power to your house, while the ground is specific to your house to protect your panel and the power systems coming from the power plant in the event a power surge happens.
Latest Answers