Electrical Grounding:

        Ground: As defined by the NEC (National Electrical Code) of the
United States: A conducting connection, whether intentional or accidental,
between an electrical circuit or equipment and the earth, or to some 
conducting body that serves in place of the earth.

Do Not Become That Conducting Connection

        When working with any electrical circuit, safety should be your first
priority. An electrical circuit that is on is said to be HOT, if that
circuit has no path to return to the source, then power is not being consumed
and current is not flowing. When a switch is closed or some other means to
the source or to any ground is provided the electrons flow.
If you are that other means, you may not live to regret your error.
Therefore by all means make absolutly sure you are safe when working with
any form of electricity. Treat all wiring as though it were hot or on, even
when you know it is off. Make it a habit one day it may be on or
get turned on without your knowledge. If you treat it as hot then you may
save your own life or that of a coworker.

        When installing or repairing electrical circuits or systems, allways
be especially conscientious of the grounding system, don't leave that green
or bare wire out or disconnected, just because it doesn't have anything to
do with the operation of the system, it's there to protect you and anyone
else that may use the system in the future. Making sure you have a well
grouded circuit may save your great grandchild's life. It is everyone's
responsibility to protect the next person that may have to access the system
that is being installed or repaired.

        As an example of the purpose of the extra wire to ground, consider
a home appliance, such as a refrigerator; there are only two wires that make
it work, the hot and the neutral. If there is no ground connection to the
case of the appliance and, a motor, a light switch or any wire that is hot
touches (or in electrical language) shorts to the frame of the appliance,
nothing happens. The appliance is hot electrically but there is no path to
the source or ground, until someone touches it and a ground at the same 
time, providing that path to ground. It's a shocking experience.

        If the same appliance has a third wire from the frame to ground
through the wiring system, and the same short occurs it will trip the
circuit breaker or fuse, thereby disconnecting the electrical circuit
from the appliance. The short can be repaired and everyone lives happily
everafter.

Electricity Kills Use Extreme Caution When Handling
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