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From: psfales@ihlpe.ATT.COM (Pete Fales)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Neutral-Ground Shorts
Message-ID: <1790@ihlpe.ATT.COM>
Date: Wed, 17-Jun-87 10:54:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlpe.1790
Posted: Wed Jun 17 10:54:47 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 21-Jun-87 11:16:54 EDT
References: <820@sdcc12.ucsd.EDU> <583@inuxh.UUCP> <467@rlvd.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - Naperville, Illinois
Lines: 25

In article <467@rlvd.UUCP>, news@rlvd.UUCP (News) writes:
> In article <583@inuxh.UUCP> rmrin@inuxh.UUCP (D Rickert) writes:
> >
> >Neutral and ground should be tied together.  Look out for the outlets
> >in which it isn't.  
> 
> Neutral and ground should NEVER be tied together. Ask yourself what is the
> point of having seperate lines if you are going to join them
> together. The reasons for keeping them separate are to do with the
> safety of the earth protection in the event of a Neutral fault. 

I think that part of the confusion here is that no one has ever defined
what they mean by "tied together."  If what you mean is "visibly connected
with a wire" then, as previously stated, it is imperative that they be
connected only at the service entrance.  However, I suspect that the
D Rickert and the original poster meant that AFTER DISCONNECTING THE MAIN
CIRCUIT BREAKER, if you check neutral and ground with a ohmmeter, you will
find them shorted together.  In this case, you should worry if they
aren't connected because the neutral is not providing you with any
protection.
-- 
Peter Fales		UUCP:	...ihnp4!ihlpe!psfales
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