TeMpTiN wrote:There is still a lot of commercial and residential wiring that have hot neutral reversals especially in the older places (like the house I am renting right now). In a small and relatively simple metal box when the source power wiring is unknown a little extra safety for the person who might be touching the case and standing in a puddle of water at the same time isn't all bad.
Psyd wrote:In the US, Hot and Neutral (Live and Grounded) are not interchangeable.
Wikipedia wrote:Neutral refers to a conductor with continuity to the electrical system's center tap of the power company transformer of a single-phase system, or the center of the wye connection of a polyphase system. American electrical codes require that the neutral be connected to earth at the "service panel" only and at no other point within the building wiring system. Formally the neutral is called the "grounded conductor"; as of the 2008 NEC, the terms "neutral conductor" and "neutral point" have been defined in the Code to record what had been common usage.
Neutral wire is connected to the center tap of the final step-down transformer and is identified by gray or white insulated wire, perhaps with stripes; most commonly bonded to earth for a fixed known path to stabilize the voltages only at the main service panel; many times called the grounded wire. Note that all metallic systems in a building are to be bonded to the panel; e.g., water, natural gas, HVAC piping, etc.
430.105 Grounded Conductors.
means shall be permitted to disconnect a permanently
grounded conductor, provided the disconnecting
means is designed so that the pole in the grounded conductor
cannot be opened without simultaneously disconnecting
all conductors of the circuit.
shadowfax wrote:See The Wikipedia article on Electrical wiring:
Formally the neutral is called the "grounded conductor"; as of the 2008 NEC, the terms "neutral conductor" and "neutral point" have been defined in the Code to record what had been common usage.
Neutral Conductor. The conductor connected to the neutral point of a system that is intended to carry current under normal conditions.
Neutral Point. The common point on a wye-connection in a polyphase system or midpoint on a single-phase, 3-wire system, or midpoint of a single-phase portion of a 3-phase delta system, or a midpoint of a 3-wire, direct-current system.
Grounded Conductor. A system or circuit conductor that
is intentionally grounded.