On 11/16/2013 10:38 AM, wrote:
On Sat, 16 Nov 2013 11:35:17 -0500, wrote:

On Sat, 16 Nov 2013 06:31:21 -0500, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 11/15/2013 7:58 PM, wrote:

So, there is no ground that I know of, if I understood this correctly.
That's why I asked if you guys ADD a ground wire in this situation?
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3753/1...473a60a8_o.gif

The ground is a must, for safety. At one time, it was allowed to run
the timer current though ground. A neutral conductor is now required
for that current.


I've been trying to figure if the cold wire of a
three wire dryer is a neutral or ground. I'd thought
it was a ground, but some folks on the list and
on the web thought it's a neutral.

It *is* a ground. It's connected to the case of the appliance. Would
you connect a neutral to the case?

The NEC previously allowed the *neutral* for ranges and dryers to also
be used as the ground. It is not allowed now for new circuits, but is
explicitly grandfathered for old circuits that were compliant when
installed.


It's also connected to the ground bus inside the box, not the neutral
bus. Uninsulated, too.

There are a number of limitations on using the neutral as both neutral
and ground. One of them is the circuit has to originate in the service
panel. The neutral and ground are bonded at the service. It has to
originate on the neutral bus. In many panels the neutral and ground bus
are the same. If there is a separate ground bus that only connected to
the enclosure the wire can not be connected there.

Another limitation is uninsulated wires in romex can not be used.

From gfretwell in a recent post:
"During WWII they jammed through an exception allowing the neutral to
also be used as the ground to save copper.
In the 1996 code cycle CMP 5 finally accepted Phil Simmon's assertion
that the war was over and they should dump this exemption for new
circuits. (existing can stay)"