Which side of an electrical outlet should be Neutral?

Technical Questions & Discussions about Computers, IT & electronics.
bluejets
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Re: Which side of an electrical outlet should be Neutral?

Post by bluejets » March 5, 2011, 12:23 pm

You quote that (among other things just as questionable)
"a circuit breaker is not a fault condition isolator but rather a circuit protection device"This is the same thing so I fail to see the point.
Surely if the consumer were of such little consequence then why bother with any protection.
Just goes to show how little you know.



fdimike
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Re: Which side of an electrical outlet should be Neutral?

Post by fdimike » March 5, 2011, 12:56 pm

Bandung & Blue,

You both seem to have much more knowledge about any of this stuff than the rest of us mere mortals. May I suggest a truce be called and maybe one (or both) of you can try to explain what you are saying in common english. By common english I mean everyday english so the rest of us who are interested can comprehend what you are saying. I have never heard some of the electrical terms you guys are using. I understand how to wire an outlet/plug and have a basic knowledge of just how electricity in the home SHOULD work. I also understand that there is an electrical code here in Thailand but no one to enforce it like we have in the US or Europe/Australia.
I think you guys could educate a lot of us out here as to the correct way to install electrical wiring in ones home. So how about it? No more fighting, but a lot more educating.

Just my 50 Satang worth.

RLTrader
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Re: Which side of an electrical outlet should be Neutral?

Post by RLTrader » March 5, 2011, 7:04 pm

Ok, Mike I will nominate you for the peace prize.

I just love how someone on the internet gets to be an expert in anything with no questions being asked. Like some of these expert Home Builders. Some don't even live here, but they still know everything about building here.

Just for chuckles I googled the difference Mr. Blue and got the below link. Goggle is your friend, Mr. Blue. :lol:


http://www.allinterview.com/showanswers/81651.html

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Bandung_Dero
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Re: Which side of an electrical outlet should be Neutral?

Post by Bandung_Dero » March 6, 2011, 8:00 pm

bluejets wrote:You quote that (among other things just as questionable)
"a circuit breaker is not a fault condition isolator but rather a circuit protection device"This is the same thing so I fail to see the point.
Surely if the consumer were of such little consequence then why bother with any protection.
Just goes to show how little you know.
You effin dlckhead! If you can't distinguish between the two WTF are you trying to confuse others on this site. I dare you to take your ideas and resume to ANY heavy industry or oil and gas employer asking for a job. In fact take it to your local 'House Basher' and see how you go!

You continue to dig your hole and believe you me I'll bury you!

bluejets
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Re: Which side of an electrical outlet should be Neutral?

Post by bluejets » March 7, 2011, 10:36 am

mmmm....nice
See diagram and text for conformation of my explanation.
Attachments
MenSys.jpg

fdimike
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Re: Which side of an electrical outlet should be Neutral?

Post by fdimike » March 7, 2011, 11:17 am

Blue

Question: I am on 3 phase power with what they call here a "Safety Cut - Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)" wired into my house's ENTIRE electrical circuit and all outlets are properly grounded. Is it necessary to also install a MEM system to insure safety?

This same question also applies to my swimming pool equipment. The pool's electrical equipment is on a seperate ciruit directly from the meter and flows through a similar Safety Cut - Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter before going to the Square D main panel. The circuits here are also properly grounded.

In the US we use a GFCI in "wet" areas of the house but I'm not sure if a similar MEM system is also used.

Thanks

bertybeetle
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Re: Which side of an electrical outlet should be Neutral?

Post by bertybeetle » March 9, 2011, 4:04 am

There are 2 answers to the OP's question:

1. The pictire in the link below shows a typical 2 pin socket outlet. The Neutral has a wider slot than the Active.
http://cdn.wn.com/pd/92/25/c2590fd7a535 ... grande.jpg

2. The pictire in the link below shows a typical 3 pin socket outlet. Again, the Neutral has a wider slot than the Active.
http://www.thailand-blogs.com/wp-conten ... ailand.jpg

The pictire in the link below shows a 2 pin plug with both pins the same size. This is NOT the correct plug to use.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... A_plug.jpg


If the correct plugs are used as well as the socket outlets being wired correctly, the Active & Neutral conductors will always be correctly switched. This rule must me followed whether or not the outlet is switched.

As you can see by the attached picture below, if the Neutral is switched, the appliance may appear to be switched off but power is still available within the appliance. If the appliance is a lamp, you may think that it's safe to change the globe. All it would take is a slip of the fingers & you could be in trouble.

Image

With regard to Earthing Systems, I've only ever seen the IT & TN-C-S systems in Thailand. I'm yet to find a TT system.
Most distribution transformers that I have see have been IT connected.
An M.E.N. link MUST NOT be is used in the IT or TT Earthing Systems.
For info about earthing systems, see http://www.scribd.com/doc/21955012/Earthing-Systems



Sorry. I'm not Blue.
My comments in blue.

fdimike wrote:Blue

Question: I am on 3 phase power with what they call here a "Safety Cut - Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)" wired into my house's ENTIRE electrical circuit and all outlets are properly grounded. Is it necessary to also install a MEM system to insure safety?
Until you are sure of what Earthing System is used, DO NOT add an MEN link.

This same question also applies to my swimming pool equipment. The pool's electrical equipment is on a seperate ciruit directly from the meter and flows through a similar Safety Cut - Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter before going to the Square D main panel. The circuits here are also properly grounded.

In the US we use a GFCI in "wet" areas of the house but I'm not sure if a similar MEM system is also used.

Thanks

ehtkhr
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Re: Which side of an electrical outlet should be Neutral?

Post by ehtkhr » July 19, 2015, 10:54 am

Alchai wrote:
rickfarang wrote:Everywhere I look, the if you look at a three pronged outlet with the ground connection pointing down,the slot on the left is Neutral. Everywhere. Everywhere except for some outlets I bought from Global recently. On them the slot on the left is marked "L" and the slot on the right is marked "R". And both slots are the same size.

My house was wired such that the slot to the left of the ground connection is Neutral.

Since this involves safety, and I don't believe one should dismiss off such matters without understanding them, I ask whether anybody can explain the apparent swap on the new outlets.

An image depicting the connector with Neutral on the left can be seen at the URL below;
http://img14.imageshack.us/i/1111wim.jpg/

Thank you in advance.
As you are dealing with AC (alternated current) here it is not important how live and neutral are connected. However, you must not connect earth to any of these!
You are right, things will work either way around however as most switches only switch the active, if you turn a switch off you would expect a device to no have the ability to flow through it. If you switch off the neutral then you will have a live active that only needs to find a path to earth (like a human) for current to flow. Your light switch will just have a live wire from the connection in the roof will run one live wire from the roof to the switch on the wall and then back to the light bulb, the neutral goes straight from the roof to the light. You can imagine if you have it the wrong way around and you put your finger in the socket (accidentally of course). So it does matter which way around you wire it, just not in that it would affect the day to day use.

underthebridge
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Which side of an electrical outlet should be Neutral?

Post by underthebridge » September 25, 2015, 12:08 am

There is one scenario that is often overlooked: if your drainage pipes are PCV, shared between a number of units and not grounded your drains may become live if there is a current leakage to a drain somewhere. This is because the grit that accumulates inside the pipes is conductive. Even if (or rather because) your installation is in good shape your drains may become a death trap... So ground your PVC drains or be at mercy of your neighbour(s). Special pipe segments are available where I live, in Thailand I do not know...

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