electrical problems

[Juergen]

I believe I am getting the picture now. That white and the bare make more sense as you guys explained. Thanks a lot for your posts. I really do appreciate those. Juergen in PA 1991 WLSP 36 --- On Sat, 8/30/08, Don Bradner wrote: From: Don Bradner Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Electrical problems To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Saturday, August 30, 2008, 10:47 AM Juertgen, you can only get 240V across the two hot wires. when that happens, the neutral (white) is not carrying any load at all. The neutral line carries only the differential. If you have 50 amps of 120 in use on one leg, and 50 amps on the other leg, again the neutral is not carrying any load. If one leg is drawing 30 amps and the other 50, the neutral will have 20 amps of current present. The three statements above are true because the two hot legs are opposite phase. When viewed as a sine wave, when one is on the upside of the cycle the other is on the downside of the cycle. The separate 4th wire (green or bare) is ground. It is not intended to carry any current, and is a protective line only. In a home system the common and ground are bonded, but under RV code they are not bonded, so they are not at all the same thing. On 8/30/2008 at 7:21 AM Juergen wrote: >Mike >Here is where I am at a loss as to why you get 250 V when only one wire >either green or bare makes contact. I know that 2 hot and one ground =250V >I do not understand why the bare wire contact then allows two 110 V. And >like I said before, I never try to put or pull the plug UNLESS the CBs are >OFF. The way I read your post, I could survive or not even get a 250 surge >even if the bare wire is not making contact. I cannot say for sure, but I >also will never try it. Electric system is too costly. All I know is 250 V >will really brighten up your lights for a brief moment and fry all the >other components. Been there done that (in my house.) >Juertgen in PA >1991 WLSP36