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Re: Ground current

Pual,
I think troubleshooting is best done when it is specific. Specifics will get
someone's attention from an experience they had. When you said the power is
totally disconnected, do you mean to transformer has not wires in or out?
High voltage disconneted? Input disconnected? These are things that will
greatly help. BTW, when I was referring to alluminum/copper connections I
was referring to copper wire with alluminum connectors. My house ( as old as
it is) has neutral connected to ground completed to an earth ground rod.
Houses are connected differently due to zoning laws, compliance to zoning
laws, the bonehead doing th job, and the inspection. I don't know how your's
is connected. I wouldn't worry about reading the voltage vs. the current.
You can have a circuit with a few thousand volts delivering 3 amps or almost
no voltage doing the same. You may very well have a floating ground causing
your discrepancies. Measuring current as you have done is a great way to
check for problems. Now you need to isolate the problem. Being more specific
may spark some experience in your delema.
Bart

Tesla List wrote:

> Original Poster: "Paul Marshall" <klugmann-at-hotmail-dot-com>
>
> Bart,
>   I have checked the amp meter its working fine. We have no aluminum
> wire in the house and I get the ground current even when the power is
> totally disconnected. The thing that blows my mind is the voltage. I
> can't read it at all on the meter. Also I get no spark to ground from
> ground neutral.
>
> What do you think ?
> paul m
>
> >Date: Fri, 02 Oct 1998 00:03:40 -0600
> >To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> >Subject: Re: Ground current
> >From: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> >
> >Original Poster: "Barton B. Anderson" <mopar-at-uswest-dot-net>
> >
> >Paul,
> >Did you disconnect the pig outputs hv outputs?
> >Is power to the pig on a double throw switch disconnecting both hot and
> >neutral completely?
> >You might want to completely disconnect both mains from the pig and
> check
> >current between nuetral and ground of your house wiring. It isnt
> uncommon to
> >have some current riding on ground, and it isn't wanted. You may have a
> >highly resistive connection in the house wiring going bad (alluminum to
> >copper most likely - has been the cause of many house fires). Also,
> make
> >sure your current meter is working properly.
> >Bart
> >
> >Tesla List wrote:
> >
> >> Original Poster: "Paul Marshall" <klugmann-at-hotmail-dot-com>
> >>
> >> I have a question about ground current. I have 25 KVA pig, line
> neutral
> >> is connected to the case and the case is connected to ground. Last
> night
> >> I pulled out my handy meter and checked for current to ground. I
> found
> >> that I had a 3 amp current in the ground lead. I turned off the power
> to
> >> the pig and checked again, 3 amps ! I turned off the power at the
> mains
> >> still 3 amps. Next I checked to see what the voltage was. It wasn't
> >> measurable < 1 volt. Can anyone tell me what is going on ? Also there
> is
> >> no sign of a spark between the ground lead and the ground terminal.
> >>
> >> paul m
> >>
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> >
>
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