just wondering
2007-02-04 08:05:19 · 6 answers · asked by macgyver 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
I am an electrician and Ernest gives a very good book explanation. I will dumb it down for you the small vertical hole is the supply the large vertical hole is the return. The u shaped hole is there to return all electricity that has gone somewhere it not supposed to.
2007-02-06 13:13:43 · answer #1 · answered by tatimsaspas 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The top pin, the U looking pin is ground. It normally does nothing, that is why you see some plugs that do not have that pin. The frame or casing of a device is connected to this pin. It keeps the frame at the same electrical potential as ground. That way, you don't get shocked if something goes wrong.
The pin on the left is smaller and is the hot pin. It is the one that goes between +170V and -170V, if you are in the US. It switches back and forth 60 times per second. If you stick something metal in this pin, it will zap you first, then should blow the circuit breaker.
The longer pin is the neutral pin, the one I am assuming you are calling wide. It actually connects to the ground pin at some point, but it is meant to handle normal current flow.
2007-02-04 16:35:36 · answer #2 · answered by buckeye_brian31 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Electrically there is no difference between the black and white wire except it is connected to the ground at the service box it is called a neautrall wire Because it is connected in the middle coil of the step down transformer and is grounded .It being in the middle is what gets you 12o volts out of a 240 volt system and it being grounded is why it will not shock you but it still carries current.so this means all the curent in your honse goes through this wire it some time say one 120 curcuit is pulling 50 amps and the other is puilling 50 amps but of different polirity the current will be neutral
2007-02-04 16:51:16 · answer #3 · answered by Ernest B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This link will help. I have no idea what you mean by Wide?
Ground
Neutral
Hot
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/hsehld.html
Ground and Neutral are both connected to the earth.
P.S. I think "wide" is one of the connectors on a 240V outlet so that you can't plug a 120V appliance into the 240V outlet and vice Versa.
2007-02-04 16:24:02 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know about the "wide" part, but hot is the black wire(sometimes labeled as "load"), ground is usually green or bare copper. The white wire is a neutral. This gets very confusing when you start talking about 3-ways. But we won't go there.
Hope this helps.
2007-02-04 16:17:14 · answer #5 · answered by animalcrackers31 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hot is the black wire that caries the electrical current ground so you don`t get a shock and white is neutral to complete the loop
2007-02-04 16:18:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋