What is the Difference Between a Ground Wire and a Neutral Wire?

In this episode, E&S Grounding Solutions President David Stockin takes some time to clear up the often-confusing topic of neutral wires and ground wires. Although a neutral wire and ground wire are typically tied to a neutral point of a transformer, each one has a unique purpose, and there is a key difference between them that makes one far more dangerous than the other! Learning about this difference also reveals why GFCI receptacles protect people from electrocution, and further, what prevents one from receiving a shock if they touch an appliance that experiences an electrical fault.
The expert team at E&S Grounding Solutions stands ready to answer your questions on grounding. For a video of this podcast, please visit our TH-cam Channel at E&S Grounding Solutions. For more information or to sign up for some of our world-renowned educational classes, please visit our website at esgrounding.com

[@user-qp6ou7nh8z]

Thankyou for your time 7:42

[@chezpaiz]

Thank you for the explanation of the Neutral wire. I’ve never had a firm grasp on that concept and now I think I can explain it accurately.

[@SJ-nl6xl]

I really like the diagrams you show with the explanations 👍🏻

[@TorBoy9]

Thanks for the clear and concise explanation and review.

[@Razz-es9qw]

Thank you for making this video. It is very informative..

[@jameswilliams9655]

Excellent explanation.

[@electricalron]

Good explanation. The other thing to consider and makes them different is that a grounded neutral conductor is a current carrying conductor whereas an equipment grounding conductor is normally a non-current carrying conductor.

[@louismathews6831]

Good question, good explenation, pretty obvious now isn't it

[@henrrisiavichay5367]

Good job on your explanation 👍

[@herbertcharles8606]

Okay what you said sounds good, please explain neutral bonding on these new generators, is that the safest way they do it, cause most people don't earth ground a generator.

[@anthonymartin2412]

Neutral Wire yes has power on it if there power it called backfeed voltage if removed from panel busbar many home uses the same bar in the breaker making the the same only when main power is turned off.

[@MuhammadArif-cs2tn]

Very informative , It will more help full if more animated video running during explenation of any technical details or information. Thank you sir.

[@Just_An_Idea_For_Consideration]

I need your analysis on Solar Power System and how to properly ground it.
If G is the Grid power, and S is the Solar generated power, each are as if they were two isolated power companies. And separately they would be grounded as per your video.
But if we were to supply power from G to S for the purpose of charging the S system during a low sunlight time period, then S in essence becomes a sub panel off of G, and now we have TWO grounds in the system.
Should we isolate the ground (or disconnect the ground from S when it is being charged by G and is connected to the ground of G, or is it ok to have two grounds?
I can not find an answer to this question, and it could be crucial to preventing someone from getting shocked in a failure situation.
Please help with your thoughts on how to safely resolve this dilemma.
Thanks

[@samsen3965]

OK and if there is a difference of 5-30 mAmp between Hot (Black) and Neutral (Green - bare copper/aluminum) wire the circuit breaker will trip. But is there a difference in Voltage between them when Neutral is used instead of Ground? I seem to get 120.1 Volt when checking Load and Neutral but 117 Volt when checking Hot with metal receptacle (Ground). Is this normal and expected?

[@manueljfrancisco5480]

👍Good. Talk

[@rikardlalic7275]

Af far as I know, the ground current return path (earthed only on both locations) has no chance to trip a 10, 16 or 25A fuse, so it is essential that ground wire is firmly connected to the transformer and object exit and entry points and both, transformer and object neutral wire. RCCBs and RCBOs will probably trip with their specified limiting currents in the mA range, if object is earthed only.

[@hadleymanmusic]

Neutral has neglible current if there's no load on it. Neutral return. Ground is for fault break current

[@patrickg7569]

He never said current travels to ground. He clearly stated that the current returns through the ground wire, back to the transformer (the source). Great explanation but not the clearest images.

[@djhatton6858]

I take issue with your first figure. Why are you showing a receptacle ground terminal connected to what seems to be dirt. There is an egc as an effective low impedance fault path which facilitates the fault path. You say this later…why represent the fault current path thru dirt. Won’t happen and will never trip a breaker. Think I’d stop showing voltage as a signal source and draw in transformer winding 240/120 single phase. Draw in all the wires , main bonding jumper etc.

[@KevinCoop1]

I’m very sorry sir but, this video is ver poor at answering the question posed and has some misinformation in it. Your video on faults a year ago explained how grounds worked was accurate.
For instance, your diagram showing the current in short circuit going to the ground rods is ridiculous. It shows you are missing something. If you take a “hot” conductor attach it to a ground rod, take it out in your yard and stick it in the earth, then turn on the standard breaker, the breaker will not trip. Ground rods and other electrodes are installed for lightning protection, not equipment grounding. The only reason the reading neutral to ground is zero volts is they are tied together. Equipment grounds take high ground fault currents (thousands of amps) back to the first means of disconnect, then to the neutral, out to the transformer and back to the panel on L1 or L2 (whichever the breaker s connected) and causes enough magnetic field in the breaker to trip it.
Also, if you put a hot in one hand and a neutral in the other hand you will get shocked or electrocuted. If you put the ground in your hand instead of the neutral, the exact same thing will happen.
If you feel that I am incorrect or need further information, please let me know.
Respectfully, Kevin

[@user-lq1tb1eq7z]

Yada. Yada. Yada. Never answers question 1st minute or so.👎🏻👎🏻