This thread is starting to read like a lot of confusing “distinctions without a difference”. I think the issue comes from trying to describe elements of the electrical system individually in colloquial plain English for purposes of these courses. Yes, grounding and grounded conductors (grounds and neutrals) are connected together, but it should only happen in the service panel. In all downstream sub or distribution panels you shouldn’t see any connection between them.
The problem occurs when the principle in play is not fully understood. In the OP’s original question it is important to understand the idea of “objectionable current” and “fault current” in a conductor and how they occur. Without a firm grasp of those ideas, both of which also require a more basic understanding of electricity, it will be hard to see the need and easy to mistake.
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This isn’t a simple matter of using colloquial terminology. It is misapplying standard terminology. That has a far more deleterious effect than mere colloquialisms.
Home inspection was a professional occupation at one time. ASHI and the states with licensing effectively reduced it to a semi-professional occupation by lowering the standards that had been naturally set by a free enterprise market. Any school that publishes misinformation is only making the problem worse than it already is. InterNACHI should be fixing the problem, not making it worse. At a minimum, InterNACHI should endeavor to prevent the already atrociously low standards from going any lower.
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