This article discusses many common misunderstandings about the function of the neutral wire and its relation to power problems. The subjects of dedicated lines, phase reversal, isolation transformers, ...

According to IEEE/ANSI Standard C62.41-1991 (formerly IEEE Standard 587), Recommended Practice on Surge Voltages in Low-Voltage AC Power Circuits, the worst normal mode surge expected inside a ...

When clients call you because operating problems on pieces of their 120V equipment cause them to suspect their facility's power supply, you have to decide where to start your investigation. Don't ...

A friend who was buying an older house was concerned about electrical safety and asked for my opinion as an electrical engineer. All of the AC receptacles (also called outlets) in the house were the ...

A pretty typical diagram for the grounding system for a house is shown here, along with a few of the current carrying conductors commonly called live and neutral. On the far left is the transformer ...

You don't need to be an electrician to understand the basics about how your home is wired. A general understanding of how cables and wires work is part of being a responsible homeowner, and our ...