Re: Floating Neutrals (Was NSTs... DEADLY)

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Floating Neutrals (Was NSTs... DEADLY)
From: "Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz" <acmq-at-compuland-dot-com.br> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Tue, 07 Mar 2000 19:07:58 -0700
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Original Poster: "Alex Crow" <user-at-alexcrow.clara-dot-net>

> I would think that the 'floating neutral' thing is a valid concern for
coilers,
> especially in areas where the wiring isn't that great - in Brazil they don't
> seem to use earth wires at all, and I got some fair shocks off my laptop
and a
> real *wallop* from the metal case of a HiFi, standing on a damp floor.

As far as I know (living in Brazil), "standard" installations here don't 
really have a dedicated ground wire, but the neutral wire is grounded. 
Shocks from some devices, specially those built with a ground wire that
is 
really necessary, are really common here. Imported devices that come
with
a cord and plug with three wires are commonly sold with an adaptor that 
leaves the third wire floating, and if you see a wall connection with
three pins, you can bet that the third wire is disconnected.

Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz