Audioengr, So, lets take a 60HZ signal and run it down the "Signal carrying" wire. Since this would be the same as a 60hz sine wave, are you trying to say that the positive half cycle goes down one wire and the negative half cycle comes back on the ground? We are talking about AC here. Hate to disagree, but I don't think so. Also, we cannot have current without voltage since volts push amps. In less than 120 volt applications, we have one line of potential(as in house wiring)and according to your described theory the ground(neutral) would also have be a hot wire since each half cycle would need to be equal with respect to volts and amps on each conductor. It must return on another wire according to this theory and that would be the neutral. In 35 years of being around electricity in various forms, I've never had the need to measure the ground except when we had an electrical "Short" popping people. However, I am a ME and design air conditioning systems. I will present your theory to my EE friends. If they agree, I will humbly apologize to you in this forum and will consider myself enlightened!