At 07:01 PM 2/22/05, you wrote:
>>I've *never* seen the neutral wire be of a gauge different from the others...
>
>While I have not seen this myself either it would have to be thicker 
>because it would carry double the current  of the other conductors.

Worst case is current between one hot and neutral.  The neutral gauge is 
the same as the hot wire gauge.

In the case where you have motors running off of both hots, the neutral 
will carry the difference current.
10 amps on hot A and 7 amps on hot B, the neutral will be carrying 3 amps.

In some Wye (120/208) four wire distributions, you MAY find the neutral 
conductor larger than the three hots to handle harmonic currents created by 
many of the switching power supplies found in office equipment.

Scott

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