Neutral wire - completes an electrical circuit - runs unused electricity to ground.

Ground wire - a safety device that diverts electricity to ground in the event it escapes from where it should be.

Granted, both of these eventually go to ground; and granted, the neutral and ground bars are required to be bonded to each other in the panel and, in fact, in modern panels there is often only one bar which is shared by both the grounds and neutrals.

Nevertheless, the neutral and ground wires are not interchangeable. Sure, one will function as the other, but that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.

PC:smokin: