Al, (almarg),
I drew 3 vertical parallel lines on a piece of paper. One representing the Hot, one for the neutral and the other the equipment ground. At the top of the drawing I drew a horizontal line connecting both the neutral line and equipment line together. (Representing how the equipment grounding conductor is connected to the neutral at the electrical panel.)
At the bottom of the neutral and equipment ground lines I connected a digital meter.
Above the meter I drew the symbol of a resistor. I connected one lead to the hot and the other lead to the equipment ground. The resistor represents the leakage you spoke of in your post.
With the power switch of the equipment in the off position there will not be any hot and neutral current carrying load. Therefore there can not be VD. No VD, no difference of potential between the neutral conductor and the equipment grounding conductor. (At least originating within the branch circuit, and the piece of equipment connected to the branch circuit.)
Using your leakage theory I see what you mean when the mains Hot conductor is directly feeding the primary winding of the power transformer. I can see if there is a leakage to the chassis there would be current on the equipment grounding conductor. I am not sure you would measure a difference of potential from the equipment ground to the open switch open neutral though. Especially if the neutral conductor and equipment ground conductor are at the same ground potential.
Now if the leakage turns into a ground fault event and there is then considerable current causing a VD in the Hot / equipment ground (ground fault) circuit then indeed there would be a difference of potential from the equipment ground to the open switch open neutral.
I could be wrong though..... It wouldn’t be the first time.
Jim
.
I drew 3 vertical parallel lines on a piece of paper. One representing the Hot, one for the neutral and the other the equipment ground. At the top of the drawing I drew a horizontal line connecting both the neutral line and equipment line together. (Representing how the equipment grounding conductor is connected to the neutral at the electrical panel.)
At the bottom of the neutral and equipment ground lines I connected a digital meter.
Above the meter I drew the symbol of a resistor. I connected one lead to the hot and the other lead to the equipment ground. The resistor represents the leakage you spoke of in your post.
With the power switch of the equipment in the off position there will not be any hot and neutral current carrying load. Therefore there can not be VD. No VD, no difference of potential between the neutral conductor and the equipment grounding conductor. (At least originating within the branch circuit, and the piece of equipment connected to the branch circuit.)
Using your leakage theory I see what you mean when the mains Hot conductor is directly feeding the primary winding of the power transformer. I can see if there is a leakage to the chassis there would be current on the equipment grounding conductor. I am not sure you would measure a difference of potential from the equipment ground to the open switch open neutral though. Especially if the neutral conductor and equipment ground conductor are at the same ground potential.
Now if the leakage turns into a ground fault event and there is then considerable current causing a VD in the Hot / equipment ground (ground fault) circuit then indeed there would be a difference of potential from the equipment ground to the open switch open neutral.
I could be wrong though..... It wouldn’t be the first time.
Jim
.