Quote:
Originally Posted by pianoman
Are you saying that if the neutrals of the dimmers were still connected together and the dimmers were run off separate outlets I could have a fire hazard, or are you saying that BECAUSE they don't have a common neutral there is a fire hazard?
-Dan
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If the neutrals were still connected together and you plugged them in separate outlets, you could have a fire hazard. This is because depending on a lot of factors, more current may find its way home through one path than another. Packs generally come with their neutrals bridged as they get installed into a location that has a main feed where the neutral is gauged sufficiently to handle a worse case load, or have a line cord and connector that can handle the same. When you split a pack up and start running it off wall outlets, you limit your "know" neutral wire gauge to #12 (for 20
amps) or #14 (for 15 amps.) That is what is in the walls of the building. Therefore, each
circuit needs to be isolated from the other.
Another example of a "sneak" danger: You are in a building that has had many additions made. You could end up plugging into two outlets that come off of different service panels! (Worse case scenario I admit.) In this case, if there is a neutral imbalance between the panels, you could have hundreds of amps finding their way from one panel to another through your equipment without even turning on a single light!