A 15-amp, single-phase circuit runs from the panel to a bedroom and only energizes all receptacles and the lighting. Assuming proper wiring, what voltage reading would be plausible when measuring the receptacle neutral conductor to ground?

A 15-amp, single-phase circuit runs from the panel to a bedroom and only energizes all receptacles and the lighting. Assuming proper wiring, what voltage reading would be plausible when measuring the receptacle neutral conductor to ground?

• A. 96 volts
• B. 0 volts
• C. 120 volts
• D. 240 volts

Answer: (B)

Neutral and ground are bonded together at the service equipment, so they sit at essentially the same potential along a properly wired branch circuit. The neutral carries return current from the loads, while the grounding conductor mainly serves safety and normally carries little to no current. Because of that bonding, measuring between the receptacle’s neutral and the ground should read about zero volts. In reality you might see a tiny voltage due to small drops along the neutral or because a high-impedance meter picks up stray voltage, but under proper wiring the reading is essentially 0 V. Seeing about 120 V would imply a miswire or a neutral that isn’t bonded to ground at the panel, and 240 V would indicate a different supply or fault. A value like 96 V isn’t expected in a standard 120/240 V single‑phase setup.

Neutral and ground are bonded together at the service equipment, so they sit at essentially the same potential along a properly wired branch circuit. The neutral carries return current from the loads, while the grounding conductor mainly serves safety and normally carries little to no current. Because of that bonding, measuring between the receptacle’s neutral and the ground should read about zero volts. In reality you might see a tiny voltage due to small drops along the neutral or because a high-impedance meter picks up stray voltage, but under proper wiring the reading is essentially 0 V. Seeing about 120 V would imply a miswire or a neutral that isn’t bonded to ground at the panel, and 240 V would indicate a different supply or fault. A value like 96 V isn’t expected in a standard 120/240 V single‑phase setup.