The Big No-No
2. Why is Connecting Neutral and Ground Outside the Main Panel a Bad Idea?
So, what happens if you decide to play electrician and connect the neutral and ground wires together in, say, an outlet box? Well, bad things. Very bad things, potentially. Remember how the neutral wire carries current back to the source under normal operation? If you connect it to the ground wire downstream from the main panel, you're essentially creating an alternate path for that current.
Instead of all the current flowing back through the designated neutral wire, some of it will now flow through the ground wire. This is problematic for several reasons. First, the ground wire isn't designed to carry continuous current. It's thinner than the neutral wire and not intended for that purpose. This can cause it to overheat, potentially leading to a fire. Imagine running your car engine on fumes — it may work for a short while, but it will cause damage soon enough!
Secondly, this can create a shock hazard. Since the ground wire is now carrying current, any metal parts connected to the grounding system — like metal outlet boxes, appliance casings, or even plumbing — can become electrified. Touch one of these, and you could get a shock. It's like turning your entire house into one giant, poorly wired electric fence — definitely not a selling point!
Beyond the immediate safety risks, connecting neutral and ground can also interfere with the proper operation of sensitive electronic equipment. The stray currents can cause noise and interference in audio and video signals, and can even damage sensitive components. Modern electronics are quite sensitive, they don't like stray voltages and can behave erratically. In short, introducing unintended paths for current is like causing havoc in electrical system, and not the good kind.
