ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Neutral Current Carrrying?

I know this has probally been asked a thousand times but does the neutral in a 2 wire single phase circuit(ie: a small apliance branch circuit) count as a current carrying conductor?

You don't have a neutral in a two wire circuit.

You have a ungrounded conductor, a grounded conductor and maybe a grounding conductor.

Both the ungrounded conductor and grounded conductor are current carrying conductors.

Bob

Absolutely, in a 2 wire circuit it is impossible to have a neutral conductor. Click Here

Roger

I was a little slow on that one Bob.

Roger

Thanks guys I just read the post in the nec forum and understand.

...Bob,I may be wrong here,but,isn't the grounded conductor considered current-carrying ONLY when used in circuits where there are non-linear loads harmonics,such as HID lighting,servo controls,ballasts,or in a 3 phase wye utilizing only 2 phases and a neutral...etc??otherwise,if the circuit is balanced,the current on the neutral is 0,you wouldn't count it as current -carrying for derating purposes,ampacity..??
Russ

Attic Rat, the OP was asking about a two wire circuit, not a multiwire circuit where current could balance in the neutral.

-Jon

Ooops,..my bad...

Does a grounded conductor have to be perfectly balanced in order not to be counted as a current carrying conductor? Can someone give a feild example?

... Take a normal 3 phase wye circuit,..all sharing the neutral,and the loads close to being equal...(barring the use of HID fixtures,processors,variable speed drives etc)and you should have a balanced circuit..
Russ