• 0 Posts
  • 472 Comments
Joined 3 years ago
cake
Cake day: June 12th, 2023

help-circle


















  • Once you add in outlets, there’s a reference.

    Assuming you’re in a US home similar to mine here: Ac power typically comes into an outlet as two to three conductors. One is live, one is neutral, the other is ground.

    The neutral is your 0v. In the house, that’s often tied to a water line at your breaker, or a rod inserted into the earth, a ground rod. The ground is also tied to neutral in the breaker, and is there for protection. (GFCI outlets test for current on the protection line and if there is any, shuts off the outlet because that’s a fault condition).

    Tldr: 0v/ground in your home is referenced to actual ground, the earth, typically in the breaker box.