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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: crashwg on January 21, 2005, 08:23:58 am

Title: Which one's black/white?
Post by: crashwg on January 21, 2005, 08:23:58 am
I feel like an idiot for asking this since I've wired an entire house before but this is a bit different so I just want to make sure.

The labels I have put on the attached picture are the ones that appear on the back of the recepticle.  Obviously the symbol is ground but which (L or N) is black and which is white?

L is the switched one, and I'm fairly confident is black but I just want to double check.
Title: Re: Which one's black/white?
Post by: Trimoor on January 21, 2005, 09:03:05 am
The switched wire is always hot (black).
If you want to check for yourself, use a continuity meter on a computer power cable.
Title: Re: Which one's black/white?
Post by: Minwah on January 21, 2005, 09:04:10 am
L = Live
N = Neutral

AFAIK Neutral is always black or blue.
Live is usually red or brown.
Earth/ground is always green or green with yellow stripes.

I'm guessing the live wire is white (rather than red) as it is switched.

What is this connector on/for though?  Edit: what I mean is where have you got the 'black' and 'white' from??
Title: Re: Which one's black/white?
Post by: Trimoor on January 21, 2005, 09:36:07 am
Standard house wiring uses black for hot/live, white for neutral, green of bare for ground.

Don't go by the colors unless you are absolutely certain.  If this is in an old cabinet, the operator might not have had any idea what he was doing.  Use a multimeter.
Measure the voltage across 'L' and ground.  If it reads about 120volts, then 'L' is hot.  If it reads about zero, then 'L' is neutral.

The switched wire is certainly the hot/live wire.
Title: Re: Which one's black/white?
Post by: Minwah on January 21, 2005, 10:04:27 am
Quote from: Trimoor on January 21, 2005, 09:36:07 am
Standard house wiring uses black for hot/live, white for neutral, green of bare for ground.

Don't let me do any wiring in the US then!!  Standard colours in the UK are as I posted...

Wierd.  Black for live???!!  :o
Title: Re: Which one's black/white?
Post by: crashwg on January 21, 2005, 10:11:26 am
Yea, with AC white is neutral green or bare is ground and other colors are live.  Usually black is constant and red is switched when it comes to a wall outlet.

Thanks for the help guys, if I had realy though about the fact that the red is paired with the white and that the red is usually switched I probably would have been more sure of myself but it's probably a good thing I asked anyways.  It sure makes me feel safer anyways!
Title: Re: Which one's black/white?
Post by: Minwah on January 21, 2005, 01:55:18 pm
Quote from: crashwg on January 21, 2005, 10:11:26 am
Yea, with AC white is neutral green or bare is ground and other colors are live.  Usually black is constant and red is switched when it comes to a wall outlet.

I still can't get my head round that...red=hot=live - that's how it should be!

What about American cars?  Don't tell me black is live in them too??
Title: Re: Which one's black/white?
Post by: whammoed on January 21, 2005, 02:07:52 pm
No, black is negative for DC wiring...Its the AC thats all screwed up.