AC circuit big confusion after all these

Thread Starter

Alchemy One

Joined Oct 5, 2019
217
Try something... Ignore, erase, delete the connection to earth from the transformer secondary centre tap on post #4.
It does not exist now. Your motor, heater, stereo, whatever is still connected to the points marked "+" and central tap.
Everything works the same. The planet under your shoes is not conducting anything. You can still visualize your push-pull on those terminals, right ?
 
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SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
Ummm... Point of order, AC doesn't have + & - polarity except in reference to its Y-axis V Amplitude as it crosses it's Time X-axis as a sinusoidal wave. Just to throw in some of those nonsensical terms that add to the confusion.
 

Thread Starter

Alchemy One

Joined Oct 5, 2019
217
Ummm... Point of order, AC doesn't have + & - polarity except in reference to its Y-axis V Amplitude as it crosses it's Time X-axis as a sinusoidal wave. Just to throw in some of those nonsensical terms that add to the confusion.
 
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Thread Starter

Alchemy One

Joined Oct 5, 2019
217
Try something... Ignore, erase, delete the connection to earth from the transformer secondary centre tap on post #4.
It does not exist now. Your motor, heater, stereo, whatever is still connected to the points marked "+" and central tap.
Everything works the same. The planet under your shoes is not conducting anything. You can still visualize your push-pull on those terminals, right ?
 
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Thread Starter

Alchemy One

Joined Oct 5, 2019
217
Without language, we would not be able to communicate. Pointing and grunting will not get you very far as a civilization.
"Grunting"? Were you hearing it? With all this technological advancement I wouldn't be surprised. But it wasn't me, it must have been some sort of interference from some other source. Possibly cosmic microwave background?. :)
 

SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
I wonder why it won't work. Why wouldn't it work if I used a piece of wire, secure one end to an outlet and the other end of the wire right in the dirt down below and bury it 3 feet just to make a good secure connection?
That is in fact what happens. The Neutral Bus in your panel is connected to a Ground Rod that is driven into the earth... The same as the center-tapped Neutral at the transformer on the pole outside. It would be very messy to have a Ground Rod for each individual receptacle. Not to mention expensive.
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,619
That is how the earth connection is often done, in the absence of a metalic water main, two 6ft ground rods are driven in, you still require the pole transformer itself to have a grounded neutral, however.
Max.
 

Thread Starter

Alchemy One

Joined Oct 5, 2019
217
That is in fact what happens. The Neutral Bus in your panel is connected to a Ground Rod that is driven into the earth... The same as the center-tapped Neutral at the transformer on the pole outside. It would be very messy to have a Ground Rod for each individual receptacle. Not to mention expensive.
Just added up, in a nutshell, stay on one side or the other side of a load and you will be fine,
 
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SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
The power company doesn't even drive a ground rod. You will a ~No 8AWG solid bare copper wire stapled to the pole from the neutral tab on the transformer and down the pole to some undetermined buried depth of soil at the base. It is usually also connected to a grounding lightning prevention aerial above the power lines as a grounding point for the aerial grounding system.
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,619
I don't believe the 7200v primary is grounded, the secondary C.T. has a conductor to earth as the ground reference.
Normally the ground resistance from your panel GND back to the transformer GND should be 5ohms or less.
I have a transformer pad mounted, and that one has a grounded CT right at the transformer itself.
Max.
 

Thread Starter

Alchemy One

Joined Oct 5, 2019
217
That is in fact what happens. The Neutral Bus in your panel is connected to a Ground Rod that is driven into the earth... The same as the center-tapped Neutral at the transformer on the pole outside. It would be very messy to have a Ground Rod for each individual receptacle. Not to mention expensive.
I guess my white wire turns to the bare wire after the weather head and it goes directly to the center tap on the transformer if you notice on the pictures
 
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SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
One wire to the transformer primary from a Power Line, One to the pole ground from the center tap, L1 & L2 to the watthour meter base. Now the aerial carrying L1 & L2 to the meter base is also supposed to be grounded at the pole from the center tap ground as an extension of the lightning suppression grounding system. Didn't use to always be that way.
 

Thread Starter

Alchemy One

Joined Oct 5, 2019
217
I don't believe the 7200v primary is grounded, the secondary C.T. has a conductor to earth as the ground reference.
Normally the ground resistance from your panel GND back to the transformer GND should be 5ohms or less.
I have a transformer pad mounted, and that one has a grounded CT right at the transformer itself.
Max.
 
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