Proposed Definition of Neutral Conductor and Point

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5-36 Log #1554 NEC-P05

Action: Accept in Principle (100. Neutral Conductor and Neutral Point)

__________________________________________________ _____________________________________________

Submitter:

Technical Correlating Committee on National Electrical Code®

Panel Meeting Action: Accept in Principle

Add the following (two) definitions to Article 100 as follows:

Neutral Conductor. The conductor connected to the neutral point of a system that is intended to carry current under normal conditions.

Neutral point. The common point on a wye-connection in a polyphase system or midpoint on a single-phase, 3-wire system, or midpoint of a single-phase portion of a 3-phase delta system, or a midpoint of a 3-wire, direct current system.

FPN: At the neutral point of the system, the vectorial sum of the nominal voltages from all other phases within the system that utilize the neutral, with respect to the neutral point, is zero potential.

Panel Statement:

The revised wording removes the term “circuit” as was pointed out in the TCC ballot, there is no definition for a “circuit conductor” and the “neutral conductor” could be in a branch circuit, feeder or otherwise.

The revised text also establishes a differentiation between the “neutral conductor” and the “equipment grounding conductor” which are in fact both ultimately connected to the neutral point of a system. The differentiation is that under some normal conditions, the “neutral conductor” is expected to be current carrying while under normal conditions the equipment-grounding conductor is never a current carrying conductor.

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Here's the CMP 5 report for Articles 200 and 250 for Grounded Conductors and Grounded and Bonding