in the UK is the neutral mains wire connected to earth?

Question

Robert J · Answer

Yes - but only at the incoming supply side of the consumer unit (fuse board), not the house wiring side.

The "user" side keeps them totally separate and an accidental short between neutral and earth will cause an earth leakage circuit breaker to trip, as the live and neutral currents through it are unbalanced by the separate return path through the earth wire.

Neutral and earth should never be interconnected within the normal house wiring!

The typical UK connection scheme has a single-core armoured cable coming in to the house; that goes to a terminal & fuse unit called the "supply head" or "cut out", where the cable armouring connects to to both neutral and earth feeds to the distribution board.

(The earth is also electrically connected to incoming water and gas supply pipes, when they are metal.)

This is a typical UK cut-out module, which terminates the armoured cable then feeds to the electricity meter & consumer unit:

https://lucyelectric-production-assets.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/2019/03/Single-Phase-Cut-Out-776x517.png

And a data sheet showing the internal construction of such a unit - the neutral and earth both come from the big brass block:
https://lucyelectric-production-assets.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/2019/03/HSCO_single_pole_CNE_260716.pdf

Outline connection diagram:
http://www.inbalance-energy.co.uk/images/electrical_equipment/tn_c_s_system.jpg

The UK system is called "PME" - Protective multiple earthing.

I've given a lot of info as it is a rather different system than used in some other countries and may see it as a rather strange (or even illegal) setup under different country regulations; but that is how it works here.

Philomel · Answer

Yes, It is connected to a cold water pipe or ground stake where the mains enter your home.

Anonymous · Answer

You betcha. At the generation point, along the way, and at every consumers' power box.
This makes for maximum safety should any household's neutral grounding wire be broken or disconnected, as the ground connection can be found at neighbouring premises etc.

amania_r · Answer

The UK has a number of standard earthing configurations, but yes, it's connected to earth at either the sub-station or the consumer unit.
So depending of the currents flowing, neutral is within a few volts from earth.

? · Answer

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Earthing_Types

Robin · Answer

no the earth wire goes to earth....the yellow and green one

異域秦後人 · Answer

TEST IT WITH A OHM-METER TO FIND IT OUT !

Lôn · Answer

Yes, it is......electricity must find it's way to earth.
The neutral wire in electronics is the wire in which electricity returns from the hot wire. It is also connected to the ground wire.

David · Answer

No, and get in touch with competent electrician to do your wiring for you.

bamdad · Answer

it should be otherwise the Grenfell tower would not burn for a day

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in the UK is the neutral mains wire connected to earth?

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