There is no circular flow, this is a misconception.
The subject began as a discussion of a 240VAC circuit for a welder. Since
240VAC appliances do not require an earth ground (for anything other than
safety, not current) to produce an output , there is no return path to earth
ground.
The earth ground lead of the appliance's power cord isn't connected to the
welder's transformer terminals.
It's connected to the case of the welder to make it a safe appliance to use.
In the event of an internal fault, the case remains at earth ground
potential (zero volts). When the current level reaches the circuit breaker
rating, the circuit breaker will open.
The case is earth grounded so that the operator doesn't die in the event of
an internal fault in the welder.
In normal operation, there is no return to anywhere, and definitely not to
the utility company transformer. The appliance causes the power to be
expended/used/dissipated internally.
There is no trickery or deceit going on here. The 100W on the top of the
incandescent light bulb basically means that the bulb consumes 100W. Ten of
'em left on for an hour is 1 KWH that you'll be charged for. In the winter,
you've received the light plus the benefit of the heaters. In the summer,
you pay to have the heat removed from the house by an air conditioner.
Gotcha.
The water heater element wattage rating means the same thing.
Anyone can take a stab at an explanation of where the current goes when it
goes back thru one of the supply lines by calling it a return, but they have
no explanation of where it goes.
Just because it's a common belief that it must return, don't make it fact.
The fact that some of the utility power distribution points are grounded is
because power companies have to deal with lightning strikes, line breaks and
transformer failures. They have to pay for insurance too, and they don't
want household lines to suddenly jump up into the kilovolts range in the
event of a fault/failure or accident.
The ground rods driven into the dirt out at the pole or across the street
(or other points for underground service) don't create a return path for
your household appliances.
If I connect one terminal of a AA battery to an earth ground, is the battery
charging or draining?
What's going on with the hypothetical ground electrons? Pushing? No.
Pulling? No. Flowing in either direction? No.
A battery is an example of an isolated supply. We know the battery is
capable of providing useable current. Is it flowing? No.
Most homes are powered from the isolated secondary winding of the utility
company's transformer. (I already understand that there is a center tap, and
it's the home service panel's neutral bar).
That supply is a floating source, just as the secondary of an ordinary power
transformer is (explanation of a common power xfmr in earlier post).
There is no usable current path from a floating xfmr secondary winding to
earth ground (microamp xfmr leakage excluded).
There isn't much point in injecting electrons into a dicussion of electrical
power, but I'll go along. When the spark occurs at your finger tip when you
touch a door knob mounted in a wooden door, where do the electrons go? I
don't care either, but I'll read the explanations.
WB
..................
"lionslair at consolidated dot net" "lionslair at consolidated dot net"
wrote in message ...
If you think about it, only the electrons on my side of the transformer
and those
in the ground that might mix in - flow in my circuits. The power company
induce
current flow in the transformer. Without circular flow of some kind, only
a static
or no current flow condition exists.
Now - if I can only charge the power company for use of 'my electrons'.
:-)
Martin
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