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For two circular cross‐section ‘‘infinitely long’’ wires charged to opposite electric potential, it is a standard problem to calculate the potential field, the attractive force per unit wire length, etc. If, however, the potentials are not exactly opposite, the problem is not even well defined. As shown here, the problem becomes well defined when the physical environment of the wires is considered. An effective electrical ground is imposed on the problem either by the presence of nearby conductors or due to the finite length of the wires.