Doug Miller ) said...

In article . com, "stretch"
wrote:
Ken,
If you use a ground wire for neutral current and a ground fault
happens, It may not be big enough to carry both ground and neutral
currents.

Nonsense.

Definately nonsense -- the neutral has to be the same size as the hot
conductors, so the current capability has to be there with the neutral
alone.

The issue with grounding something with the neutral is that since the
neutral carries a current, and since conductors are not "perfect" (i.e.:
they do not have zero resistance), a voltage drop will occur. Depending
on the load current and the length of the cable run, any neutral-bonded
piece of equipment will not be at ground potential, but a few volts away
from ground. In the right circumstances, contact with this and something
that is at ground potential could be very dangerous.

--
Calvin Henry-Cotnam
"Never ascribe to malice what can equally be explained by incompetence."
- Napoleon
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