primary neutral

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ws9876
ws9876 Solar Expert Posts: 440 ✭✭✭
in PV Installers Forum - NEC, Wiring, Installation #1
The lower wire on my single phase grid service is the neutral...hot on top 7200 volts. surprisingly small wire..
anyway that neutral is tied to all the grounds on the poles ,un insulated and copper right into the dirt.
If the neutral could be described as an overflow wire for excessive or unbalanced current then why cant you get a shock from the
un insulared and easy to touch ground wires attached to the neutral.????
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
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    Re: primary neutral
    ws9876 wrote: »
    The lower wire on my single phase grid service is the neutral...hot on top 7200 volts. surprisingly small wire..

    You don't need large wire for high Voltage; you need it for high current.
    anyway that neutral is tied to all the grounds on the poles ,un insulated and copper right into the dirt.
    If the neutral could be described as an overflow wire for excessive or unbalanced current then why cant you get a shock from the
    un insulared and easy to touch ground wires attached to the neutral.????

    No circuit path. Birds can light on that 7200 Volt line (which also may not be insulated) without problem because they don't create a circuit between it and the other half of the power line. Likewise the 'neutral' is bonded to ground so there's no path between it or ground and the other side of the power - the 7200 Volt line - when you touch it.

    This is why we use 240 VAC split-phase: it makes household wiring simple with only one breaker required to shut off the 120 VAC lines.
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  • DanS26
    DanS26 Solar Expert Posts: 266 ✭✭✭
    #3
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    Re: primary neutral

    Maybe this will help.....

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_distribution
    23.16kW Kyocera panels; 2 Fronius 7.5kW inverters; Nyle hot water; Steffes ETS; Great Lakes RO; Generac 10kW w/ATS, TED Pro System monitoring
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
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    Re: primary neutral
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    You don't need large wire for high Voltage; you need it for high current.



    No circuit path. Birds can light on that 7200 Volt line (which also may not be insulated) without problem because they don't create a circuit between it and the other half of the power line. Likewise the 'neutral' is bonded to ground so there's no path between it or ground and the other side of the power - the 7200 Volt line - when you touch it.

    This is why we use 240 VAC split-phase: it makes household wiring simple with only one breaker required to shut off the 120 VAC lines.
    But birds with long wingspans, like the California Condor sometimes touch both wires at the same time.
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #5
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    Re: primary neutral
    inetdog wrote: »
    But birds with long wingspans, like the California Condor sometimes touch both wires at the same time.

    We have the same problem with the pterodactyls here.
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  • DanS26
    DanS26 Solar Expert Posts: 266 ✭✭✭
    #6
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    Re: primary neutral

    Try this....take a multimeter out to your utility pole....set it to record AC millivolts.....touch one contact to the grounding wire coming down the pole.....and stick the other in the ground anywhere.

    You will read voltage and it will represent the resistance in the ground return wire to the utility substation. The measurement will be small and that is why you do not get shocked. Now if the amount is a few volts then that means that the utility return line has higher resistance. If the resistance (ie volt reading) is very high then the utility should be notified.

    Do this same test on the GEC on your house wiring....voltage is always there...although in small amounts. The reason is that electricity will take all paths to source.
    23.16kW Kyocera panels; 2 Fronius 7.5kW inverters; Nyle hot water; Steffes ETS; Great Lakes RO; Generac 10kW w/ATS, TED Pro System monitoring
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  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    #7
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    Re: primary neutral
    inetdog wrote: »
    But birds with long wingspans, like the California Condor sometimes touch both wires at the same time.
    Fried condor, yum! :D
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
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    Re: primary neutral

    Up North , here iin BC it is Osprey that suffer that fate due to a likeness to roost on the cross bars:confused:
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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