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What is the purpose of a Ground Wire?

 

What is the Purpose of a Ground Wire?

Ground wire can be defined as "An element of the three-circuit system that gives the excessive charges a safe way to escape the circuit."  As suggested by the name, the ground wire connects the circuit to the earth. The purpose of ground wire is to protect the electric circuit from the electric shock and possible fires. In countries other than the United States, the ground wire is often referred to as "earth wire."

The Color Code Of Ground Wire

Color-coding is essential for electrical systems because identifying the wire by color helps maintain safety during electrical work. According to the US AC power circuit wiring color codes, the ground wire is either green or green with a yellow stripe. Green ground wires are more common than those with a yellow stripe, though both are found in households throughout the country. Please note that the ground wire has no color in some rare cases, even though it is technically against the rules of color-coding in the United States. In these cases, a ground wire is just a plain bare copper wire.

Is The Ground Wire Really That Important?

So, is the ground wire absolutely necessary? The ground wire is an essential element of the three-wire circuit along with the neutral wire and hot wire. 

However, ground wires are not installed in every single building. Old houses built before the 1960s and have not undergone a renovation since then might not have a ground wire because the requirements in the National Electrical Code that called for the ground wire were passed in the early sixties.

The devices can operate without a ground wire at all because it does not actually supply the electricity. In fact, a regular homeowner would not be able to tell that the ground wire is broken or missing. However, not having a ground wire is dangerous because there is always a possibility of a sudden hazard. If the danger occurs, the circuit breaker should trip to help remove it. The ground wire is connected to the neutral wire in the three-wire circuit. As a result, it gives the current its pathway down to earth and plays a part in tripping the breaker through bonding with the neutral wire.

Though you may go months and years without knowing whether you have a ground wire, surges in electricity that may lead to dangerous situations in the absence of one are far more common than we like to think. In fact, surges that may lead to potential dangers may occur as often as several times per day. A surge that did not find its path back to earth and instead escaped through appliances is a common reason for fires. What is even more dangerous, touching an ungrounded plug may result in electricity finding a path through a human body. If this happens, severe burns or even death are a likely possibility. 

Checking For The Ground Wire

It is necessary to make sure that the appliances in your houses have a working ground wire, especially if you live in an old house that have not been renovated for years. Moreover, it does not hurt to check your circuits with a professional from time to time because it is impossible to identify whether the ground wires inside your electrical circuits are working properly. If you are confident of your ability to check the electrical outlets by yourself, there is an easy way to proceed. Just remember that the grounded appliances have three slots, whereas ungrounded ones only have two. However, always hire a professional in case you don't have enough knowledge to do the checking yourself.

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