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    tomjack's Avatar
    tomjack Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Apr 2, 2011, 06:02 AM
    Neutral arced when cut
    I have 14-2 coming out of the panel in my garage with breaker on the black is hot tested it with tester that beeps faster if a wire is hot. I was cleaning up the end of the wires when I cut he end off the neutral with my side cutters the neutral arced is something wrong here or is it being energized from the neutal bar if so why does it not register hot when tested??
    tkrussell's Avatar
    tkrussell Posts: 9,659, Reputation: 725
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    #2

    Apr 2, 2011, 06:46 AM
    If the breaker is on, the circuit is energized, and since the neutral is the return for the circuit, it would spark, since the circuit was interrupted.
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
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    #3

    Apr 2, 2011, 06:48 AM

    Any conductor when cut under a Load will arc.
    If you have 2 wire going to a light bulb(hot and neutral, and you cut the neutral, the power will go from the hot through the bul filiment and back to wher the neutral is cut, at the cut you would have no voltage from the panel, but would have voltage on the neutral from the bulb.
    stanfortyman's Avatar
    stanfortyman Posts: 5,598, Reputation: 279
    Electrical & Lighting Expert
     
    #4

    Apr 3, 2011, 08:12 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by tomjack View Post
    I have 14-2 coming out of the panel in my garage with breaker on the black is hot tested it with tester that beeps faster if a wire is hot. I was cleaning up the end of the wires when I cut he end off of the neutral with my side cutters the neutral arced is something wrong here or is it being energized from the neutal bar if so why does it not register hot when tested ???
    I bet this was a multi-wire circuit and the red was still live. This would potentially put the neutral under a load and do what you described.

    Two things. Do NOT rely on a proximity tester (the kind the beeps when near a live wire). They are unreliable for testing such as this.
    Also, in future replies and posts please try to write in sentences. It is extremely hard to decipher your posts the way they are written.

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