Faulty Neutral Ground Wiring on a House

Purpose of a Neutral Wire

• For electricity to do work, it must flow through a closed circuit. Each circuit in a modern home contains three wires – a hot wire, a neutral wire and a ground wire. The hot wire provides electric current to the outlet or light fixture, then the neutral wire carries that electric current to electric ground, thus completing the circuit.

How a Neutral Wire Differs From a Ground Wire

• While a neutral wire and a ground wire are both ultimately connected to electric ground, these wires serve two different purposes. A neutral wire completes the electric circuit by conducting current away from the plugged-in electrical device, while a ground wire is a safety device that carries electric current away from a device only when the circuit or the plugged-in device malfunctions. Many electric devices are wired with a chassis ground, which is connected to the household circuit by means of the round prong on an electrical plug. If the neutral wire suffers a fault or if the plugged-in device experiences a fault, the ground wire is designed to carry electric current away from the device, so that the device won't shock the user.

Faulty Neutral Wiring Dangers and Symptoms

• The electric circuits in a building are designed to operate on a balanced system. The power coming from a building’s electric transformer is split into two 120-volt phases. When these phases are combined, the electric service can provide 240 volts of electricity to certain circuits – such as electric dryers and central air conditioners. In other parts of the home, the phases are split; thus, the first 120-volt phase powers the outlets and light fixtures on one side of the home, and the second 120-volt phase powers the outlets and fixtures on the other side.

  If a neutral wire is not properly connected to an outlet or light fixture, the wire can become damaged due to heat stress and undergo a mechanical failure. If a neutral wire has become completely damaged, the outlet or light fixture will malfunction and might be unintentionally energized with the full 240-volt potential that the electrical service provides. This can damage or destroy electrical devices, outlets and fixtures and might pose a shock or fire hazard.

Faulty Ground Wiring Dangers and Symptoms

• A faulty ground wire deprives the electric circuit of a critical safety device. If a damaged electric device is plugged into an outlet with a faulty ground wire, a potential for electric shock or fire exists. If the chassis on a damaged electrical device were to become energized, a person who touches the frame or any metal parts on the device and a grounded surface will become the sole path for electric current. This situation can pose a fire danger, as well as the possibility of fatal electric shock.