scott wrote:
>> Some non-electricians will hook up the earth as a common - using it as 
>> the return path for the hot.
>>
>> In this case the potential will vary with the amount of current on the 
>> wire.
> 
> But I think that Buildings Standards require that the resistance to 
> ground be low enough that for the Earth voltage to become dangerous, 
> enough current must flow to blow a fuse.  Otherwise this kind of 
> relatively common fault would leave metal cases of everything in the 
> house electrified to dangerous voltages!
> 

When a layman looks in an electric panel he sees that the bare copper 
ground and the white neutral (U.S. colors here) attach to the same point 
they start to think they can use the bare copper as the neutral.

While it isn't terribly shocking, it does cause a voltage on what is 
supposed to be grounded.

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