SV: Re: SV: Re: [sdiy] midi optocouplers

[Seb Francis]

Ok, I take it back - I've put my multimeter where my mouth is (not 
literally!) and have measured the voltage between the neutral and earth 
wires - it is indeed almost 0 (0.1V)

Seb


Seb Francis wrote:

> Well I don't know about the US, but in UK where we also have 3-wire 
> polarized mains this is not true.  I don't think neutral is tied to 
> earth ground.  'Neutral' refers to the common connection of a 3-phase 
> generator output.  In a domestic house only 1 of the phases is 
> delivered and the neutral connection is the current return path.  If 
> you connect a neutral wire to an earth wire then I would imagine you 
> will blow the fuse.  But maybe this is different in US?
>
> Some more reading ..
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternating_current
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutral_point
>
> Seb
>
> P.S. Hopefully someone with some firm knowledge of UK mains power will 
> correct me if I'm wrong ...
>
>
> harrybissell wrote:
>
>> USA uses 120VAC...
>>
>> Hot will have 120V AC with respect to earth ground
>>
>> Neutral should have no voltage with respect to earth ground.
>>
>> They can get reversed sometimes... with disasterous results in
>> an audio system.  Having one chassis at 'hot' and another at
>> neutral can mean line voltage in an audio cable...
>>
>> H^) harry
>>
>> Karl Ekdahl wrote:
>>
>>  
>>
>>> I'd really like to know what the "hot"/"neutral" is all about, here in
>>> sweden we've got no such thing but i'm moving to the US in a week so
>>> i'd better learn....
>>>
>>> Karl
>>>
>>> Samppa Tolvanen <samppa.tolvanen at gmail.com> skrev:
>>>
>>>      We Finns are enjoying 230VAC with non-polarized mains
>>>     sockets.
>>>
>>>     Shouldn't We all agree the truth, there's NO neutral wire.
>>>     Just for newbies?
>>>
>>>     Grant said:
>>>     "It is a good idea to verify that your electronic music
>>>     studio wall
>>>     sockets are wired correctly.
>>>     I have seen strange things happen when neutral and hot are
>>>     reversed.
>>>     Even on transformer isolated equipment."
>>>
>>>     This sounds like badly designed equipment.
>>>
>>>     Samppa
>>>
>>>
>>>   
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  
>>
>