Grounding--ground wire

[Herb and Eneva]

Will someone please explain the difference between the grounding wire---white, and the grounded wire---green, in a circut? They both go to the same busbar.

[HeyBub]

The white wire is a neutral, not a ground.

You and your wife go to the same movie; are you identical?

[Joseph Meehan]

When everything is working as intended, the white wire carries current and the green-cooper does not. The only time the white is not carrying current is when nothing on the pair of circuits is on or when there is identical load on both legs of the circuit.

In short the without a fault the white can kill you the green can't.

If the green fails it can damage equipment on that circuit as it may suddenly get 240V rather than the expected 120V.

You can't safely eliminate either one as they both perform critical duties and can not be shared legally or safely.

[Chris Friesen]

Don't you mean white here?

Chris

[Toller]

Exactly how would that work? Even if you misspoke and meant white instead of green, it still couldn't. Yes, there might be a floating neutral and some items could get over 120v, but they couldn't get 240v.

[Bud--]

Description is backward. The groundING wire is green (commonly called a ground wire). The groundED wire is white (commonly called a neutral wire). Use of these terms in the National Electrical Code is very confusing.

The white wire is groundED at the service. This has 2 parts: Connection to the earth keeps the hot and white wire voltage to earth at a safe level. Connection to the groundING wires provides a path back to the transformer for fault current to trip a breaker.

The green wire is for groundING exposed metal. Connection to earth at the service keeps exposed metal at approximate earth potential. If there is a fault to exposed metal, the groundING wire will conduct current back to the service, through the bond to the supply wire that was groundED, and back to the transfromer to trip a breaker.

As others have noted, the groundED wire normally caries circuit current. The groundING wire is for safety and normally does not.

-- bud--

[Joseph Meehan]

Sure did. Good catch.