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Is it safe if the neutral lead is exposed and disconnected?

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1

I have extension cords that let me plug in the hot blade, while leaving the neutral blade out and exposed.

It seems like I could help it complete a circuit to ground by touching the exposed neutral blade, which I don't think would be great.

I'm in Canada, the outlet it's plugged into is wired correctly, and there's no GFCI on the circuit. Is this safe?

electrical

share|improve this question

asked 8 hours ago

mrbmrb

13311 silver badge66 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Why would you want to connect a cord this way?
  
  – Jim Stewart
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I don't want to. It's not useful, but it's also really easy to do, which led me to wonder if it was considered safe (or perhaps a design flaw).
  
  – mrb
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  That's incredibly bad: in the absence of a load, the "neutral" can float to the level of the hot side.
  
  – Carl Witthoft
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

1

I have extension cords that let me plug in the hot blade, while leaving the neutral blade out and exposed.

It seems like I could help it complete a circuit to ground by touching the exposed neutral blade, which I don't think would be great.

I'm in Canada, the outlet it's plugged into is wired correctly, and there's no GFCI on the circuit. Is this safe?

electrical

share|improve this question

asked 8 hours ago

mrbmrb

13311 silver badge66 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Why would you want to connect a cord this way?
  
  – Jim Stewart
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I don't want to. It's not useful, but it's also really easy to do, which led me to wonder if it was considered safe (or perhaps a design flaw).
  
  – mrb
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  That's incredibly bad: in the absence of a load, the "neutral" can float to the level of the hot side.
  
  – Carl Witthoft
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

I have extension cords that let me plug in the hot blade, while leaving the neutral blade out and exposed.

It seems like I could help it complete a circuit to ground by touching the exposed neutral blade, which I don't think would be great.

I'm in Canada, the outlet it's plugged into is wired correctly, and there's no GFCI on the circuit. Is this safe?

electrical

share|improve this question

asked 8 hours ago

mrbmrb

13311 silver badge66 bronze badges

share|improve this question

asked 8 hours ago

mrbmrb

13311 silver badge66 bronze badges

share|improve this question

asked 8 hours ago

mrbmrb

13311 silver badge66 bronze badges

asked 8 hours ago

mrbmrb

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asked 8 hours ago

mrbmrb

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3 Answers
3

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7

No. In this condition, the exposed plug blade will be deadly.

Every load connects hot to neutral. It does so through some level of impedance, but that impedance is not enough to protect you from shock.

If you have a GFCI/RCD device somewhere protecting this load, that will intervene to prevent injury in this case.

One detail: Current wants to return to source, not ground. For man-made mains current, source is the supply transformer, and hot power is seeking neutral. It will be happy with ground, because back in the main service panel there is a neutral-ground equipotential bond connecting them, so it will go via ground to get back to neutral.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

HarperHarper

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add a comment | 

1

You might also notice that you have plugged the hot blade into the return socket! Whatever were you thinking? The reason that "blob" of material is part of the black receptacle is to ensure that you plug in "right side up" , with the ground pin in the ground receptacle.

Don't be a Darwin Award candidate.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft

2,05977 silver badges1212 bronze badges

add a comment | 

0

This is absolutely NOT safe. There is actually a part of the NEC to help with this type of problem - tamper resistant receptacles. That doesn't address exactly the same situation - extension cords are functionally the same as receptacles but practically speaking a bit different and don't normally (ever?) have tamper resistant sockets. But a tamper resistant receptacle prevents you from inserting only hot or neutral - you have to insert them both at the same time.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

manassehkatzmanassehkatz

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7

No. In this condition, the exposed plug blade will be deadly.

Every load connects hot to neutral. It does so through some level of impedance, but that impedance is not enough to protect you from shock.

If you have a GFCI/RCD device somewhere protecting this load, that will intervene to prevent injury in this case.

One detail: Current wants to return to source, not ground. For man-made mains current, source is the supply transformer, and hot power is seeking neutral. It will be happy with ground, because back in the main service panel there is a neutral-ground equipotential bond connecting them, so it will go via ground to get back to neutral.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

HarperHarper

89.7k66 gold badges6565 silver badges185185 bronze badges

add a comment | 

7

No. In this condition, the exposed plug blade will be deadly.

Every load connects hot to neutral. It does so through some level of impedance, but that impedance is not enough to protect you from shock.

If you have a GFCI/RCD device somewhere protecting this load, that will intervene to prevent injury in this case.

One detail: Current wants to return to source, not ground. For man-made mains current, source is the supply transformer, and hot power is seeking neutral. It will be happy with ground, because back in the main service panel there is a neutral-ground equipotential bond connecting them, so it will go via ground to get back to neutral.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

HarperHarper

89.7k66 gold badges6565 silver badges185185 bronze badges

add a comment | 

No. In this condition, the exposed plug blade will be deadly.

Every load connects hot to neutral. It does so through some level of impedance, but that impedance is not enough to protect you from shock.

If you have a GFCI/RCD device somewhere protecting this load, that will intervene to prevent injury in this case.

One detail: Current wants to return to source, not ground. For man-made mains current, source is the supply transformer, and hot power is seeking neutral. It will be happy with ground, because back in the main service panel there is a neutral-ground equipotential bond connecting them, so it will go via ground to get back to neutral.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

HarperHarper

89.7k66 gold badges6565 silver badges185185 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

HarperHarper

89.7k66 gold badges6565 silver badges185185 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

HarperHarper

89.7k66 gold badges6565 silver badges185185 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

HarperHarper

89.7k66 gold badges6565 silver badges185185 bronze badges

1

You might also notice that you have plugged the hot blade into the return socket! Whatever were you thinking? The reason that "blob" of material is part of the black receptacle is to ensure that you plug in "right side up" , with the ground pin in the ground receptacle.

Don't be a Darwin Award candidate.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft

2,05977 silver badges1212 bronze badges

add a comment | 

1

You might also notice that you have plugged the hot blade into the return socket! Whatever were you thinking? The reason that "blob" of material is part of the black receptacle is to ensure that you plug in "right side up" , with the ground pin in the ground receptacle.

Don't be a Darwin Award candidate.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft

2,05977 silver badges1212 bronze badges

add a comment | 

You might also notice that you have plugged the hot blade into the return socket! Whatever were you thinking? The reason that "blob" of material is part of the black receptacle is to ensure that you plug in "right side up" , with the ground pin in the ground receptacle.

Don't be a Darwin Award candidate.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft

2,05977 silver badges1212 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft

2,05977 silver badges1212 bronze badges

answered 3 hours ago

Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft

2,05977 silver badges1212 bronze badges

answered 3 hours ago

Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft

2,05977 silver badges1212 bronze badges

0

This is absolutely NOT safe. There is actually a part of the NEC to help with this type of problem - tamper resistant receptacles. That doesn't address exactly the same situation - extension cords are functionally the same as receptacles but practically speaking a bit different and don't normally (ever?) have tamper resistant sockets. But a tamper resistant receptacle prevents you from inserting only hot or neutral - you have to insert them both at the same time.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

manassehkatzmanassehkatz

15.5k11 gold badge2121 silver badges4848 bronze badges

add a comment | 

0

This is absolutely NOT safe. There is actually a part of the NEC to help with this type of problem - tamper resistant receptacles. That doesn't address exactly the same situation - extension cords are functionally the same as receptacles but practically speaking a bit different and don't normally (ever?) have tamper resistant sockets. But a tamper resistant receptacle prevents you from inserting only hot or neutral - you have to insert them both at the same time.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

manassehkatzmanassehkatz

15.5k11 gold badge2121 silver badges4848 bronze badges

add a comment | 

This is absolutely NOT safe. There is actually a part of the NEC to help with this type of problem - tamper resistant receptacles. That doesn't address exactly the same situation - extension cords are functionally the same as receptacles but practically speaking a bit different and don't normally (ever?) have tamper resistant sockets. But a tamper resistant receptacle prevents you from inserting only hot or neutral - you have to insert them both at the same time.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

manassehkatzmanassehkatz

15.5k11 gold badge2121 silver badges4848 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

manassehkatzmanassehkatz

15.5k11 gold badge2121 silver badges4848 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

manassehkatzmanassehkatz

15.5k11 gold badge2121 silver badges4848 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

manassehkatzmanassehkatz

15.5k11 gold badge2121 silver badges4848 bronze badges