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[OM] Re: [OT] More OT electrical advice needed

Subject: [OM] Re: [OT] More OT electrical advice needed
From: Stephen Walker <stephenpwalker@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 17 May 2006 09:42:04 -0700 (PDT)
Piers, 

Good point. You are correct that none of what I said
would apply to the UK or probably anywhere else but
the USA.  Except the warnings about not killing
yourself or burning down the house -- those apply
everywhere!

I'm pretty sure Chuck is in the USA because having a
115V outlet in the UK would be pretty unusual.

-Steve



--- Piers Hemy <piers@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

> 
> I do not have two degrees in engineering, but
> Steve's other caveats apply
> (in trumps) to what follows.
> 
> What Steve has described is not the way I understand
> the electrical system
> works in the UK, so do NOT try to apply it over
> here.  Please.  Just in case
> you were going to.  Our 230v domestic supply is one
> of three phases, and you
> should assume that the potential to earth (ground)
> *IS* 230v. Of course it
> might be zero, if all three phases are belanced, but
> I wouldn't bank on it.
> 
> None of which should be taken to imply that what
> Steve said regarding the US
> system is inaccurate.  Or accurate.  Or anything. 
> Because it potentially
> is.  Or isn't.
> 
> Please don't fry yourself, Chuck. Please. 
> 
> --
> Piers 
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
> Of Stephen Walker
> Sent: 17 May 2006 17:10
> To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [OM] Re: [OT] More OT electrical advice
> needed
> 
> Disclaimer:  While I have two degrees in engineering
> and have done
> electrical work in both an industrial and homeowner
> setting, I am not a
> licensed electrician nor completely familiar with
> all national and local
> electrical codes.  In summary:  If you kill yourself
> or burn down your
> house, it ain't my fault.  
> 
> I'm assuming you're in the USA with normal household
> electrical service.
> 
> Anyhow, a 230 volt circuit is actually a split phase
> circuit with two wires
> that each have a potential to ground of 115V, with a
> 230V potential between
> them. 
> Therefore you will not have 230V to ground anywhere
> in the circuit.  If you
> do, you should probably call a qualified electrician
> right away. ;) 
> 
> In short:  You've got the right answer.  Jumper the
> ground wire from the
> switch to the outlet.
> 
> -Steve
> 
> 
> --- Chuck Norcutt <chucknorcutt@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> > Sometime after I moved into this house I noticed
> that the wiring of 
> > the air conditioner's air handler unit in the
> basement had not been 
> > completed properly.  (probably due to a dispute
> with the builder who 
> > was going bankrupt and likely paying off the local
> building 
> > inspectors)
> > 
> > In any case, the air handler has a 230v line
> coming in inside a 
> > conduit which runs into a junction box.  The 230v
> stuff arrives at an 
> > on/off switch whose outputs continue into the air
> handler to run the 
> > motor but also divide off 115v into a single
> socket outlet to operate 
> > a small condensate pump (since there is no floor
> drain).
> > 
> > The junction box used appears to be a ceiling box
> with no cover and 
> > the switch and outlet were just dangling on their
> wires half in and 
> > half out of the box.  I finally resolved to fix
> this problem and went 
> > to Home Depot where I procured a double device
> cover for the junction 
> > box, a combination switch & double outlet cover
> plate and a double 
> > socket outlet to replace the single one and be
> compatible with the 
> > cover plate.
> > 
> > While trying to poke everything back into place I
> noticed that the 
> > 115v socket had no ground wire.  The ground wire
> ends at the on/off 
> > switch and is not jumpered to the 115v socket. 
> The on/off switch, of 
> > course is carrying 230v.  I assume that I should
> simply run a jumper 
> > wire between the ground screws of the switch and
> the socket but it 
> > bothers me that I'll have a common ground between
> 230v on one side and 
> > 115v on the other.  I have assumed the jumper is
> the correct solution 
> > since I can't imagine any other.  But alternating
> current has always 
> > been a near total mystery to me and thought I'd
> ask before committing 
> > any serious electrical sins.
> > 
> > Chuck Norcutt
> > 
> > 
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