Electrician Jobsite English & Troubleshooting

Hot, Neutral, and Ground

Explain hot, neutral, and ground as circuit paths, and why neutral-ground mistakes are dangerous.

Page highlights

Distinguish normal current paths from fault-current paths.
Understand why ground is not a spare neutral.
Interpret hot-neutral, hot-ground, and neutral-ground readings.
Hot provides voltage relative to neutral; current returns on neutral through the load.
Ground does not normally carry load current; it provides a low-impedance fault path.
GFCI detects hot-neutral current imbalance and can trip without an equipment ground.

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