does this make any sense

[Chris75]

"In North America, much of the confusion regarding grounding has its roots in the National Electrical Code of the United States."

This is from a technical note from APC which actually is pretty decent:

"Neutral Wire Facts and Mythology"

http://www.apcmedia.com/salestools/S...NQYQ_R0_EN.pdf

Good find.

[leejosepho]

Good find.

Yes, but the author must have been too young to know the entire story. He or she said:

The only reason why the prongs on the two-prong plug are different sizes is to ensure that the more dangerous connection [used for an incandescent lamp], the more accessible threaded socket, is always connected to the neutral, or safer, wire ...” (emphasis added)

The matter of light-socket safety is not the *only* reason for differently-sized prongs. Many years ago, just plugging a floor or table lamp into the wall and reaching for the switch could result in a shock since the ground-ed (neutral) conductor also inadvertently served as the ground-ing conductor (connected to the metal case or housing of nearly any electrical appliance), and I very well remember getting shocks from metal-cased toasters, vacuum cleaners, power tools and whatever else I was trying to use if a plug was in need of being turned! It is certainly true that the equipment will work fine either way, but it used to be that the operators did not always survive!