Why cut both live and neutral wires?

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It is a common practice, for high power loads such as boilers, furnaces, etc., to install a circuit breaker that "cuts" both live and neutral wires - at least in Europe.



In my search for EVSE, I saw the following figure, in which AC and DC circuit breakers, again, cut both wires.



Electrical Safety for Emobility, Bender



I understand that it is possible to have a high voltage potential (up to 40 or 50 V) between neutral and earth - due to bad earthing - but is this reason good enough to cut the neutral? Are there any other reasons?






circuit-breaker neutral







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  • hint : look for Delta or triangle wiring.
    – Sclrx
    3 hours ago










  • Plugs like Schuko are symmetrical, there's no defined neutral and live. Either can be more than 100V relative to earth.
    – Dampmaskin
    3 hours ago






  • 1




    Schuko has nothing to do with this. Wiring in the switchboard is strictly defined. All "low power" circuit breakers must interrupt the live wire. Only "high power" circuit breakers interrupt both live and neutral.
    – thece
    3 hours ago










  • May have more to do with grounded power system going to ungrounded vehicle. Note fuses on both lines.
    – StainlessSteelRat
    2 hours ago










  • I don't see the relevance of the circuit in your question - the output is isolated and rectified and that means both wires need to be switched.
    – Andy aka
    16 mins ago














up vote
2
down vote

favorite












It is a common practice, for high power loads such as boilers, furnaces, etc., to install a circuit breaker that "cuts" both live and neutral wires - at least in Europe.



In my search for EVSE, I saw the following figure, in which AC and DC circuit breakers, again, cut both wires.



Electrical Safety for Emobility, Bender



I understand that it is possible to have a high voltage potential (up to 40 or 50 V) between neutral and earth - due to bad earthing - but is this reason good enough to cut the neutral? Are there any other reasons?






circuit-breaker neutral







share|improve this question





















  • hint : look for Delta or triangle wiring.
    – Sclrx
    3 hours ago










  • Plugs like Schuko are symmetrical, there's no defined neutral and live. Either can be more than 100V relative to earth.
    – Dampmaskin
    3 hours ago






  • 1




    Schuko has nothing to do with this. Wiring in the switchboard is strictly defined. All "low power" circuit breakers must interrupt the live wire. Only "high power" circuit breakers interrupt both live and neutral.
    – thece
    3 hours ago










  • May have more to do with grounded power system going to ungrounded vehicle. Note fuses on both lines.
    – StainlessSteelRat
    2 hours ago










  • I don't see the relevance of the circuit in your question - the output is isolated and rectified and that means both wires need to be switched.
    – Andy aka
    16 mins ago












up vote
2
down vote

favorite









up vote
2
down vote

favorite











It is a common practice, for high power loads such as boilers, furnaces, etc., to install a circuit breaker that "cuts" both live and neutral wires - at least in Europe.



In my search for EVSE, I saw the following figure, in which AC and DC circuit breakers, again, cut both wires.



Electrical Safety for Emobility, Bender



I understand that it is possible to have a high voltage potential (up to 40 or 50 V) between neutral and earth - due to bad earthing - but is this reason good enough to cut the neutral? Are there any other reasons?






circuit-breaker neutral







share|improve this question













It is a common practice, for high power loads such as boilers, furnaces, etc., to install a circuit breaker that "cuts" both live and neutral wires - at least in Europe.



In my search for EVSE, I saw the following figure, in which AC and DC circuit breakers, again, cut both wires.



Electrical Safety for Emobility, Bender



I understand that it is possible to have a high voltage potential (up to 40 or 50 V) between neutral and earth - due to bad earthing - but is this reason good enough to cut the neutral? Are there any other reasons?






circuit-breaker neutral




circuit-breaker neutral






share|improve this question













share|improve this question











share|improve this question




share|improve this question










asked 3 hours ago









thece

1117




1117











  • hint : look for Delta or triangle wiring.
    – Sclrx
    3 hours ago










  • Plugs like Schuko are symmetrical, there's no defined neutral and live. Either can be more than 100V relative to earth.
    – Dampmaskin
    3 hours ago






  • 1




    Schuko has nothing to do with this. Wiring in the switchboard is strictly defined. All "low power" circuit breakers must interrupt the live wire. Only "high power" circuit breakers interrupt both live and neutral.
    – thece
    3 hours ago










  • May have more to do with grounded power system going to ungrounded vehicle. Note fuses on both lines.
    – StainlessSteelRat
    2 hours ago










  • I don't see the relevance of the circuit in your question - the output is isolated and rectified and that means both wires need to be switched.
    – Andy aka
    16 mins ago
















  • hint : look for Delta or triangle wiring.
    – Sclrx
    3 hours ago










  • Plugs like Schuko are symmetrical, there's no defined neutral and live. Either can be more than 100V relative to earth.
    – Dampmaskin
    3 hours ago






  • 1




    Schuko has nothing to do with this. Wiring in the switchboard is strictly defined. All "low power" circuit breakers must interrupt the live wire. Only "high power" circuit breakers interrupt both live and neutral.
    – thece
    3 hours ago










  • May have more to do with grounded power system going to ungrounded vehicle. Note fuses on both lines.
    – StainlessSteelRat
    2 hours ago










  • I don't see the relevance of the circuit in your question - the output is isolated and rectified and that means both wires need to be switched.
    – Andy aka
    16 mins ago















hint : look for Delta or triangle wiring.
– Sclrx
3 hours ago




hint : look for Delta or triangle wiring.
– Sclrx
3 hours ago












Plugs like Schuko are symmetrical, there's no defined neutral and live. Either can be more than 100V relative to earth.
– Dampmaskin
3 hours ago




Plugs like Schuko are symmetrical, there's no defined neutral and live. Either can be more than 100V relative to earth.
– Dampmaskin
3 hours ago




1




1




Schuko has nothing to do with this. Wiring in the switchboard is strictly defined. All "low power" circuit breakers must interrupt the live wire. Only "high power" circuit breakers interrupt both live and neutral.
– thece
3 hours ago




Schuko has nothing to do with this. Wiring in the switchboard is strictly defined. All "low power" circuit breakers must interrupt the live wire. Only "high power" circuit breakers interrupt both live and neutral.
– thece
3 hours ago












May have more to do with grounded power system going to ungrounded vehicle. Note fuses on both lines.
– StainlessSteelRat
2 hours ago




May have more to do with grounded power system going to ungrounded vehicle. Note fuses on both lines.
– StainlessSteelRat
2 hours ago












I don't see the relevance of the circuit in your question - the output is isolated and rectified and that means both wires need to be switched.
– Andy aka
16 mins ago




I don't see the relevance of the circuit in your question - the output is isolated and rectified and that means both wires need to be switched.
– Andy aka
16 mins ago










1 Answer
1






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up vote
4
down vote













It is all too easy to get a shock between "neutral" and earth or ground...



Neutral is not always zero, some people make the mistake of assuming it is.



With the effective length of some conductors, then when other devices are running there can be enough voltage present on the neutral to surprise you or cause you to hurt yourself...



So, that is one reason both line and neutral are isolated...






share|improve this answer
















  • 1




    And even if the voltage difference is too small to cause a shock, it may still be able to source enough current to start a fire.
    – Dirk Bruere
    2 hours ago










  • I thought that it has something to do with this, but why we use two-pole switches only in high power loads? I believe that the reason also relies in the current that runs through the wires.
    – thece
    1 hour ago










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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes








1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes








up vote
4
down vote













It is all too easy to get a shock between "neutral" and earth or ground...



Neutral is not always zero, some people make the mistake of assuming it is.



With the effective length of some conductors, then when other devices are running there can be enough voltage present on the neutral to surprise you or cause you to hurt yourself...



So, that is one reason both line and neutral are isolated...






share|improve this answer
















  • 1




    And even if the voltage difference is too small to cause a shock, it may still be able to source enough current to start a fire.
    – Dirk Bruere
    2 hours ago










  • I thought that it has something to do with this, but why we use two-pole switches only in high power loads? I believe that the reason also relies in the current that runs through the wires.
    – thece
    1 hour ago














up vote
4
down vote













It is all too easy to get a shock between "neutral" and earth or ground...



Neutral is not always zero, some people make the mistake of assuming it is.



With the effective length of some conductors, then when other devices are running there can be enough voltage present on the neutral to surprise you or cause you to hurt yourself...



So, that is one reason both line and neutral are isolated...






share|improve this answer
















  • 1




    And even if the voltage difference is too small to cause a shock, it may still be able to source enough current to start a fire.
    – Dirk Bruere
    2 hours ago










  • I thought that it has something to do with this, but why we use two-pole switches only in high power loads? I believe that the reason also relies in the current that runs through the wires.
    – thece
    1 hour ago












up vote
4
down vote










up vote
4
down vote









It is all too easy to get a shock between "neutral" and earth or ground...



Neutral is not always zero, some people make the mistake of assuming it is.



With the effective length of some conductors, then when other devices are running there can be enough voltage present on the neutral to surprise you or cause you to hurt yourself...



So, that is one reason both line and neutral are isolated...






share|improve this answer












It is all too easy to get a shock between "neutral" and earth or ground...



Neutral is not always zero, some people make the mistake of assuming it is.



With the effective length of some conductors, then when other devices are running there can be enough voltage present on the neutral to surprise you or cause you to hurt yourself...



So, that is one reason both line and neutral are isolated...







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered 2 hours ago









Solar Mike

1,7811315




1,7811315







  • 1




    And even if the voltage difference is too small to cause a shock, it may still be able to source enough current to start a fire.
    – Dirk Bruere
    2 hours ago










  • I thought that it has something to do with this, but why we use two-pole switches only in high power loads? I believe that the reason also relies in the current that runs through the wires.
    – thece
    1 hour ago












  • 1




    And even if the voltage difference is too small to cause a shock, it may still be able to source enough current to start a fire.
    – Dirk Bruere
    2 hours ago










  • I thought that it has something to do with this, but why we use two-pole switches only in high power loads? I believe that the reason also relies in the current that runs through the wires.
    – thece
    1 hour ago







1




1




And even if the voltage difference is too small to cause a shock, it may still be able to source enough current to start a fire.
– Dirk Bruere
2 hours ago




And even if the voltage difference is too small to cause a shock, it may still be able to source enough current to start a fire.
– Dirk Bruere
2 hours ago












I thought that it has something to do with this, but why we use two-pole switches only in high power loads? I believe that the reason also relies in the current that runs through the wires.
– thece
1 hour ago




I thought that it has something to do with this, but why we use two-pole switches only in high power loads? I believe that the reason also relies in the current that runs through the wires.
– thece
1 hour ago

















 

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