ECN Forum
Posted By: JCooper Noodle - 01/03/03 08:54 PM
Hello all and Happy New Year,
This one has perplexed me for a while now, why in the world is the neutral called the noodle?
Posted By: Joe Tedesco Re: Noodle - 01/03/03 09:45 PM
The term "noodle" instead of the "undefined term neutral" has been used by some members here on this board, and is not recognized in the electrical industry as a slang term.

I may be off base, but in all of my travels and years in this business, I have heard some really strange terms used to identify various types of electrical installations, such as "heavy up" and "rope" etc.

Trade slang is found here in case you are interested, I search alread and no Noodle there either:
http://www.tradeslang.com/

How would you define a neutral?
Posted By: sparky Re: Noodle - 01/04/03 01:35 AM
Quote
How would you define a neutral?

Good one Joe !
this could be a really long thread...... [Linked Image]
Posted By: Redsy Re: Noodle - 01/04/03 02:25 AM
That depends on what the definition of is is.
Remember...
One can not consider that which is without first considering that by which which is is.
[Linked Image]
Posted By: electure Re: Noodle - 01/04/03 02:32 AM
Sparky coined the word noodle..Yup, Sparky done it!
And no, I'm sure not gonna jump right in on this one. [Linked Image]

[This message has been edited by electure (edited 01-03-2003).]
Posted By: circuit man Re: Noodle - 01/04/03 02:42 AM
boy am i glad someone asked this question. i was wondering what a "noodle" was too!
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Noodle - 01/04/03 04:54 AM
I think it all started at the bar after work when someone was trying to say "neutral" after sixteen or so beers.
Posted By: lwinter31 Re: Noodle - 01/04/03 06:58 AM
Beer or no beer you have to admit "Noodle" adds a hint of humor to usually serious trade.

I remember laughing when Sparky responded to a thread with the sole comment "Look striped Noodles" [Linked Image]

Made my day!

Hope I quoted that right Sparky
Posted By: Joe Tedesco Re: Noodle - 01/04/03 11:56 AM
The 2005 ROP includes a few proposals to include the definition of Neutral. I have been trying to get that term defined for over 3 code cycles!

Don:

Please check it out, my pdf files of CMP01 proposals seems to be corrupted.
Posted By: harold endean Re: Noodle - 01/04/03 10:12 PM
One of my employees (Who was lic, elec. cont) use to call the neutral the "Nootch". Sounds like "noo-ch" soft ch as in church. I don't know where he got that expression from.
Posted By: Scott35 Re: Noodle - 01/05/03 09:19 AM
Along with the term "Noodle" being an ECN "proprietary" term, I have heard a few in the trade use this technically correct term!

I like it, since it lays no claim to a conductor's function - yet places an emphasis on the given conductor as to it's "difference and complexity" [Linked Image]

Simply, it does not say a word about any common conductor / center tap current flow situations, but does make a claim that this conductor is some how different than the others!
Hence lies the crucial factor: Grounded / Identified Circuit Conductor!!!
Be it a Center Tap, a Common on 4 wire Wye, or a "Corner Grounded" Delta - the term "Noodle" (To ME) distinguishes it from any other Conductor, but does not label it's function.

Now on the other hand, trying to use a piece of Pasta for a circuit conductor may lead to problems - so uncovers the flip side of the coin regarding rampant spread of terms without an underlying definition.

As long as no person can be hurt trying to use Pasta for a conductor, there's not too much of a safety hazard - only a head spin for the lucky ones trying to shoot trouble on that installation!

Scott s.e.t.
Posted By: pauluk Re: Noodle - 01/05/03 12:45 PM
I can just see questions popping up on ECN in the next few days:

Anyone know the resistance of a 50-ft. length of #14 spaghetti? [Linked Image]
Posted By: classicsat Re: Noodle - 01/05/03 02:53 PM
AFAIK, Noddle is the term used for the the flat/wide metal conductor that bonds the
neutral bus to the enclosure in a main panel.

I wish I could show a picture.
Posted By: Scott35 Re: Noodle - 01/05/03 11:27 PM
Quote


Anyone know the resistance of a 50-ft. length of #14 spaghetti?


Sauce-Tinned, or Untinned?

I remember from studies at Culinary School of Electrical Engineering that the Conductance of Sauce-Tinned Spaghetti is slightly higher than the Untinned Spaghetti - a difference of maybe 0.350 MHOs per square mm to be exact.

Punchline:

LOL!!! [Linked Image] [Linked Image]

LOL on Paul's reply also!!!

Scott s.e.t.
Posted By: gregoryf Re: Noodle - 01/06/03 06:43 PM
The definition I learned was "a grounded current carrying conductor."
Posted By: Redsy Re: Noodle - 01/06/03 06:56 PM
gregoryf,

Here we go...

Is it neutral if it is the grounded phase conductor of a corner grounded 3-phase, 3-wire system?
I think the term neutral is more indicative of a conductor that carries no current when a balanced load exists.
Posted By: Joe Tedesco Re: Noodle - 01/06/03 07:28 PM
https://www.electrical-contractor.net/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000651.html
Posted By: SvenNYC Re: Noodle - 01/06/03 09:43 PM
Harold Endean

"One of my employees (Who was lic, elec. cont) use to call the neutral the "Nootch"...."

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Sounds like something a Brooklynite would have come up with. Considering your geographical location, I'd say you're close enough. [Linked Image] [Linked Image] [Linked Image]
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