70
votes
Why is there a voltage on my HDMI and coaxial cables?
TLDR: Forget the networking stuff, that's only a symptom. Call the power company and report a power outage, tell them "Lost Neutral". When they ask, don't talk about other symptoms other ...
17
votes
Plastic shed base - How to level soil?
Set stakes around the proposed site for the shed, attach string lines/wires, and make sure they are level. Then measure the distance between the string line and the ground periodically, and make sure ...
- 3,362
17
votes
Electrical - Ground used a Neutral
used the ground wire connected to the oven’s 3-prong receptacle
An oven's 3-prong receptacle has neutral. It does not have ground. Ovens need neutral so the oven light can be 120V and use a ...
14
votes
Accepted
Using 10/2 and/or 8/2 for a 240 only 3-prong
No, that's illegal and has always been illegal.
You are confusing neutral and ground, which is understandable since they go to the same place in the main panel. However they are actually different ...
13
votes
Why is there a voltage on my HDMI and coaxial cables?
Everything you are describing could be explained by a disconnected neutral that might be within your premises or outside. You should start by calling your power company and suggesting they come look ...
- 34.3k
12
votes
Accepted
8/2 wire for 240v EV charger
Yes, a 10 AWG ground wire is fine for up to a 60A circuit.
The 8/2 Romex (NM) cable is good for amperage up to 40 amps. However, the breaker must match the socket / EV charger spec. If the socket ...
12
votes
Why is a ground wire wrapped around the bare portion of a neutral wire at this outlet?
The neutral wire is broken somewhere and that is a bad cheap lazy hack to have that outlet work.
If you remove the ground from that wire and that outlet keeps working and everything else on that ...
- 22.8k
10
votes
Are the NEMA 10-30 to 14-30 adapters with the extra ground wire valid/legal to use and still adhere to code?
Don't buy electrical gear via mail order
Absolutely not. Dangerous rubbish. You can tell from the obviously Photoshopped spiral on the ground lead, and the use of a "banana plug" on the end ...
9
votes
Accepted
Hand tool for packing dirt
I use a plate tamper. Most of the hardware stores, garden centers, and big box home improvement places around here carry them.
Image from http://www.naturalbuildingblog.com/tampers-from-building-...
- 6,905
9
votes
Are the NEMA 10-30 to 14-30 adapters with the extra ground wire valid/legal to use and still adhere to code?
Amazon sells stuff all over the world from vendors all over the world so what's legal elsewhere might not be legal here in the USA. In the USA, it would have to be UL listed to be used. You'd have to ...
- 78.8k
8
votes
Can a Ground Wire be attatched to a nail in wood stud?
Install equipment in real junction boxes
I've done a lot of wiring and I cannot imagine how you would get a ground wire anywhere near a 2x4. Your wires (including ground) are doing one of two things:...
8
votes
Old construction, replacing light switch, bundled ground
Yes. Modern code requires switches to be grounded. If you are not using self grounding switches and metal boxes (and you are not), you need to run a wire from the switch ground screw to the bundle. ...
- 33.6k
8
votes
New installation Shower room has sewer smell. Flushing toilet causes gurgling & vacuum in shower drain
Sounds like there's a missing vent or a clogged vent between the toilet and the shower. Flushing the toilet sucks the water out of the shower trap and allows sewer gas to enter through the shower. If ...
- 78.8k
8
votes
Accepted
Is it required to connect ground wire to light switch?
Since you have a plastic box, an explicit ground wire connection is required. With a metallic box it's generally not, for switches, as they can ground by connection to the metal box, which should be ...
- 202k
7
votes
New Eaton AFCI/GFCI breaker signals (5 blinks) ground fault, but doesn't trip. How to track it down?
You may not have a ground-fault at all. The diagnostic LED displays the last recorded trip code, not any current conditions. Reading through the Eaton documentation, it turns out that it may be ...
- 131k
7
votes
Is there an alternative to buying a tamper to compact the ground?
You can rent a power compactor which would do a much better job than a hand operated tamper.
- 111
7
votes
How to I add new light switch with ground wire/screw if old switch had no ground screw?
There are a lot of problems there.
The left of the three cables has two unterminated wires in the box. What’s with that? At LEAST they should be capped off, but what are they, and why is their ...
- 34.3k
7
votes
Why is my outlet failing shortly after being rewired?
The only reason for someone to jump ground to an outlet is that something happened to the neutral wire and they didn't want to find the problem.
Given that it lasted 4 hours after proper repair at the ...
- 22.8k
7
votes
How to ground 240v generator
STOP BEFORE YOU KILL YOURSELF AND THE UTILITY LINEMEN
In order to use a portable generator to power your house in a blackout you need two key things:
Inlet
You are trying to connect to an outlet. That ...
6
votes
Use of ground wire on split phase 120V house that was converted to 240v
Do NOT do this. It is wrong in so many ways:
Completely illegal from the electrical code standpoint.
Using a 120V outlet for 220V application is incorrect and confusing.
Mixing 120V and 240V on the ...
- 64.1k
6
votes
Can I combine ground and neutral wires before they connect to their bus bars?
No, you can't do that because a single fault would make it deadly. Consider what would happen if the combined neutral+ground wire came loose in your panel -- all the current that was trying to return ...
- 6,352
6
votes
Do metal outlet boxes act as grounds?
Switches (only) can ground through the mounting screws
No need to run a ground wire to the switch. Presuming the switch has a metal yoke, it will ground via the grounding screws to the metal box (...
6
votes
Electrical - Ground used a Neutral
Under normal conditions, the ground is still held at (or near) zero volts, even when being used as a bootleg neutral. However, if the ground wire were to fail or get disconnected, then the neutral ...
- 12.6k
6
votes
How do I figure out why I have current on electrical panel ground line?
Is there any way to isolate the source of the problem so I know who to call?
If you're not going to try to DIY this, call an electrician. No further information is required. If you were having the ...
- 5,762
5
votes
Adding second Ground Bus to Square D Sub Panel - Grounded via wire or just the screws?
Follow the instructions. You are obliged (NEC 110.3) to follow the extra grounding bar's instructions. That's because those instructions are the basis for UL granting it a listing as safe.
As long ...
5
votes
Accepted
What happens if you don't bond neutral and ground in a main service panel?
Maybe if you owned the transformer
Imagine you had total control of the transformer. (which you probably don't). You would be able to assure that the neutral-ground bond did not exist anywhere. If ...
5
votes
Accepted
200amps service - ground rods instead of pipe connection
Your inspector is wrong. You can always use a larger ground.
NEC article 250.66 covers this in depth.
In fact, the code handbook (an expanded code book good with explanations of what the code is ...
- 102k
5
votes
4 prong wire outlet, 3 wire dryer - can’t find ground screw
The dryer's instruction book will have instructions on how to change the cord. The most important thing is that right now (with 3-prong), there is a "ground strap" connecting neutral and ground on ...
5
votes
Eliminate Neutral To Ground Fault Indicator With Resistor For Inverter
In addition to "I know there is a potentially dangerous problem that I want to ignore" you also would be changing things in a way that might prevent the truck's GFCI from protecting against ...
5
votes
Why would each leg suddenly read 240 volts power drop in part of my house every 5-10 minutes?
crip659 has it. It's a lost neutral, combined with a lack of competent ground rods. Due to gross disrepair and lack of maintenance, which is on you because you agreed to do it.
The Lost Neutral part:...
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible