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There is no up and down.
A voltage is the difference in electric potential between two points (or wires in this case). There is no absolute 0V potential. Which one is neutral and which one is live is a matter of definition.
By convention "neutral" has the same potential as earth, the ground you stand on. These two are often connected.
The potential on the "live" wire changes with time from negative to positive and back with a sinusoidal waveform at mains frequency (typically 50 Hz or 60 Hz).
A voltage is the difference in electric potential between two points (or wires in this case). There is no absolute 0V potential. Which one is neutral and which one is live is a matter of definition.
By convention "neutral" has the same potential as earth, the ground you stand on. These two are often connected.
The potential on the "live" wire changes with time from negative to positive and back with a sinusoidal waveform at mains frequency (typically 50 Hz or 60 Hz).
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zero with respect to what?
Remember: There is no absolute voltage. No point in the universe has a voltae of 0 V. Voltage is always the difference in potential between two points. So if neutral is connected to earth, then the voltage (potential difference) between neutral and earth is 0V.
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120 V or 230 V is the RMS voltage. Read this article for detailed information.
No, no, no. You always measure between two points/wires. You cannot measure a voltage on a singlepoint/wire.
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Please read the article I linked in post #7.
ok
is this 0v note as neutral??
http://www.rfcafe.com/references/electrical/images/sinewave_rms_avg.gif
is this 0v note as neutral??
http://www.rfcafe.com/references/electrical/images/sinewave_rms_avg.gif
no
it's just the reference about which the signal oscillates
here's an AC voltage with a DC offset ....
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This is a complex matter. Too much to explain it all here.
Read at least chapter one from this website.
Read at least chapter one from this website.
As has already been stated, with 1phase, selecting one conductor for neutral is purely arbitrary.
The one place where it is more clearly defined but not necessarily connected to earth, is the Star point of a 3 phase transformer where one phase and the star point (neutral) is used for 1ph.
M.
The one place where it is more clearly defined but not necessarily connected to earth, is the Star point of a 3 phase transformer where one phase and the star point (neutral) is used for 1ph.
M.
