From: mkilpela@mtu.edu (Mark E. Kilpela)
Subject: Re: A question about 120VAC outlet wiring..
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In article <1993Apr14.172145.27458@ecsvax.uncecs.edu>,
crisp@ecsvax.uncecs.edu (Russ Crisp) wrote:
> 
> Hello
> I'm considering modernizing some old wiring in my home, and
> I need a little advice on outlet wiring.  Several outlets
> are the old 'two prong' type, without the ground.  Naturally,
> the wire feeding these outlets is 12/2, WITHOUT the ground
> wire.  I noticed at the fusebox that some circuits have the
> 12/2 with ground, and that on these circuits, the ground
> wire was tied to the same bus as the neutral (white) wire.
> 
> SO..  Here's my question.  It seems to me that I'd have the
> same electrical circuit if I hooked the neutral[D[D[D[D[D[D[D[D[D[D[Da jumper from the neutral
> over to the ground screw on new 'three prong' grounding outlets.
> What's wrong with my reasoning here?  

First, it will not pass a National Electrical code inspection.
Secondly, The neutral wire is current carrying and the ground wire
shouldn't be, or only during a fault condition.

The reason the neutral and ground are tied together in the panel is the
tranformer on the power pole has a grounded center-tap secondary, with the
grounded center-tap the neutral.  This gives 120v to neutral(ground) from
each side of the transformer and 240v across the transformer.  So in effect
the neutral and ground should be at the same potential. 

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Mark E. Kilpela              email mkilpela@mtu.edu
Michigan Technological University
School of Technology
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