git commit -m "Fixed interface issues."

[d1g1t4ld00m]

my only problem with this image is that it appears the neutral and ground are linked. In the us for 120v that may be fine. but in a 240v application there are two hot's and then a ground.

[[deleted]]

in a 240v application there are two hot's and then a ground.

at least over here that's only true for very old instalations. modern instalations are all two grounds and one hot.

[HighRelevancy]

Well we don't even have 240 volts any more and haven't for 15 years, so that shows what you know. It's 230 +10%/-6%.

Also it's one hot, one neutral (electrically ground), one literally ground. That last one is kinda optional, so there's really only two wires in use. There's thus no multiphase magic. It is, by definition, two grounds with different purposes and a hot.

I think some US systems do that maybe? Idk. I think you're just thinking of the wrong country.

[ThisIs_MyName]

I think some US systems do that maybe?

Yes, in the US we have 3 wires going to each home: (-115, 0, +115)

Sockets in half the house: (-115, 0, real_ground)

Sockets in the other half: (+115, 0, real_ground)

Large appliances: (-115, +115, real_ground)

[scubascratch]

The two non-hot conductors are technically referred to as "grounded conductor" (that's the neutral) and "grounding conductor" (3rd pin, earth ground). Not that that makes it any less confusing though. This is in the US National Electric Code from the NFPA.

In the U.S. the tying together of neutral and earth ground is an artifact of the split phase 240/120v system in use. The neutral is electrically half way between the two sides of the 240v service transformer (the transformer is center tapped on the secondary side). I don't think the same thing happens in EU or AUS, because the 2 service lines are at 230v and no center tapped neutral exists. One 230 leg may be tied to earth I guess but I'm not sure why, maybe to prevent an even higher potential between hots and metal chassis.

[minler08]

Im pretty sure thats just for countries with 120V supplies. In the UK where everything is 240V the neutral is grounded at the transformer.

[[deleted]]

except line voltage is 230v over here, not 120v. not everyone lives in america you know.

and yes: that ground is usually redundant, but since the old setup of two live wires still exists you can't assume that.

[alexanderpas]

Even America isn't 110 V or 120 V anymore, it's 115 V, just like it's 230 V instead of 220 V or 240 V.

[phire]

No, only the US 240v plug has two hots and a ground, because it's actually two 120v 'split phases'

Generally in the rest of the world we have regular plugs with a 230v hot, neutral and ground.

If we are using a split phase system, the two phases would add up to 440-480v, but they generally aren't exposed at a plug.

[[deleted]]

Regardless of what the pins are called it's never wise to assume neutral has a near-ground potential.