On Fri, 15 Nov 2013 22:14:25 +0000, Danny D. wrote:

I have two hots and this "thing" which goes into the
ground a few hundred yards from the house.

By the way, the reason (I think) I know that this 'thing'
is a neutral (and not a ground) is that it *must* be
carrying current.

If the two hots were out of phase by 180 degrees, then
we wouldn't need this third 'thing'.

But, three wire distribution along the poles is such that
the hot wires are only 120 degrees out of phase (IIRC).

So, if I'm correct, my two hots are 120 degrees out of phase,
which means current *must* be going somewhere. That somewhere
is this third 'thing'.

Since this third 'thing' is designed to carry current, it's
clearly not a ground (since a ground isn't designed to carry
current normally).

Now, again, the fact that this third 'thing' goes into the
ground makes it 'look' like a ground (to some); but it *must*
be carrying current; so, semantically, I wouldn't call it a
ground.

Still - I must profess ... this is only how *I* understand the
situation; and I may well be wrong (although I think it's this way).

So, I will try to explain what you guys are trying to tell me
in the next post (this is too long already).