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Your home’s electrical system
Your home’s electrical system is somewhat similar to the body’s nervous
system, with a brain and nerves running throughout the house. The brain
is the electrical panel box. Inside this box, main power lines bring
electrical power to the parts of the house. The main lines are called
service entry lines. In most homes there are two, each bringing 120
volts into the house. Smaller circuits–those for lights, outlets and
most appliances–use 120 volts. Heavier appliances will need 240 volts.
There is also a third main line called the neutral, sometimes called
the grounded conductor. This wire carries electricity back out of the
house, to the transformer where it originated.
Grounding
There is also one more main wire, the grounding wire. This wire runs
from the connection at the neutral to metal buried in the earth. This
might be a metal water line. Or it might be a separate rod, driven into
the earth. Should your home lose the neutral connection, electricity
will follow this wire to ground, literally
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