Talk:Shared neutral

US
Article discussed US practice, but fails to mention its US specific

Kitchen duplex receptacles
This article states "...a duplex receptacle in a kitchen is typically connected with a cable that has three conductors, in addition to ground. The three conductors are usually colored red, black, and white. The white serves as a common neutral, while the red and black each feed, separately, the top and bottom hot sides of the receptacle." Where is this "typical"? In my experience, the "typical" install is a standard, 2-conductor+ground and both outlets are wired the same. In other words, this is an exception to typical.

I agree with the above - not only is a two-feed duplex outlet very atypical, in most cases, it's out-of-code and inherently dangerous. A two-feed duplex allows the possibility of a shorted or miswired outlet to provide 220 VAC instead of the expected 110 VAC, causing overloads, fires, electrocutions, death, etc., etc. I would posit that this should be changed, lest somebody ever actually try to wire an outlet this way and end up with a 220 VAC receptacle powering a 110 VAC toaster over. TYPICAL installation has three wires: white (neutral), black (hot), and bare/green (case ground). Both hot terminals on the duplex receptacle are wired to hot, both neutrals are wired to neutral, and both CG's to CG. The only time you should EVER see a red wire in an outlet/switch box running in a 110 VAC circuit is when you're wiring a 3-way switch, in which case the red wire is ALTERNATE HOT/COM, not a separate leg of the split-phase. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.80.163.46 (talk) 19:54, 28 March 2011 (UTC)

The sources (which appear to be virtually identical), do state "...this layout can be used...in a kitchen." (my emphasis added). It says nothing of this being typical. Dmcmorris (talk) 04:08, 15 September 2009 (UTC)