Doug Miller writes:

If two points are at the same potential, it is _impossible_ for there
to be any current flowing between them, without regard to the number
or location of faults in the circuit.

By this principle, no shorted conductors can carry current.

Swords ! Clubs ! Guns ! Knives !

C'mon guys, drop the war of words and REALLY go at it ! Lets see some
'Gladiator' type action !

The term you're using completely obfuscates the real result: no current
flow, no breaker trip, device simply doesn't do anything.

Glib nonsense. It changes the diagnostic possibilities, and must be ruled
out. A backfeed somewhere would cause the behavior described.

In article , Richard J Kinch wrote:
Doug Miller writes:

It's certainly a more useful definition than one which equates
parallel-connected wires with a short circuit.

Yet yours requires a ground? Two hot phases can't short to each other?

Not if they're at the same potential, no.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

In article , Richard J Kinch wrote:
Doug Miller writes:

If two points are at the same potential, it is _impossible_ for there
to be any current flowing between them, without regard to the number
or location of faults in the circuit.

By this principle, no shorted conductors can carry current.

Wrong again.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

" If two points are at the same potential, it is _impossible_ for
there
to be any current flowing between them, without regard to the number
or location of faults in the circuit. "

"By this principle, no shorted conductors can carry current. "

Did you even take basic high school science? If you take a short piece
of wire and connect a dead short from hot to neutral, the conductors
are then not at the same potential. The huge current flow through the
wire equals the potential difference. If we had a perfect 120V voltage
source that could supply any amount of current and connect a short
piece of wire to it, the voltage across the wire will be 120V for the
brief time until it melts. In the real world, the voltage would be
less, but still substantial. And the remaining voltage which would
still add to 120V would be distributed along the supply wires due to
their resistance. Class dismissed!

In article .com, wrote:
" If two points are at the same potential, it is _impossible_ for
there
to be any current flowing between them, without regard to the number
or location of faults in the circuit. "

"By this principle, no shorted conductors can carry current. "

Did you even take basic high school science? If you take a short piece
of wire and connect a dead short from hot to neutral, the conductors
are then not at the same potential. The huge current flow through the
wire equals the potential difference. If we had a perfect 120V voltage
source that could supply any amount of current and connect a short
piece of wire to it, the voltage across the wire will be 120V for the
brief time until it melts. In the real world, the voltage would be
less, but still substantial. And the remaining voltage which would
still add to 120V would be distributed along the supply wires due to
their resistance. Class dismissed!

Cut poor Richard some slack. He's not from around here. Richard comes from a
planet with some really unusual chemistry, where (according to his posts) it's
safe to drink gasoline and breathe carbon monoxide, but common household borax
is a deadly poison. Apparently, electricity doesn't work quite the same way on
his planet as it does here, either.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

Did you even take basic high school science?

I skipped high school physics class. Actually, they kicked me out and gave
me credit for it, because I was a know-it-all-show-off. I got sent to the
principal's office for arguing with the math teacher about whether the
empty-set symbol was a phi or zero-slash. I was right, but respect for
authority was more important than truth. Eventually they took me out of
the last two years of math class, too. Over time I must have calmed down,
because the big research U's gave me three engineering degrees, and
industry some flattering job titles.

Class dismissed!

And my point remains unanswered, herr professor.