Neutral wire carries the circuit back to the original power source. More specifically, neutral wire brings the circuit to a ground or busbar usually connected at the electrical panel. This gives currents circulation through your electrical system, which allows electricity to be fully utilized.

Do I need to use a neutral wire?

The presence of a neutral wire is not required (many computers do not have a neutral wire connection). Grounding problems only exist in computer installations when two separate pieces of grounded equipment are interconnected through data communication lines.

What happens if the neutral wire is not connected?

With a regular 120-volt AC circuit, the neutral wire provides a return path to earth ground. If the neutral wire disconnects, it would stop the flow of the electricity and break the circuit. The role of the neutral wire is to provide this path to the electrical panel to complete the circuit.