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Turn the mains switch OFF. In a "earthed neutral" system, the neutral will be earthed. With the mains off, neither wire should display voltage, and one of them should be grounded. That one is the neutral.

Be careful - electricity is dangerous.

In the above answer, third sentence both wires will read to ground as the hot wire will read to ground through the load.

The hot wire is the live supply, the load is the wire going to the appliance, so I assume you are talking about wires at a switch, if so, it doesn't matter; when they are closed (touching) the light will be on, when they are open (not touching) the light will be off. DANGER don't touch any potentially live wires until the circuit has been isolated and proven to be dead.

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13y ago
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2w ago

If the wires are not marked, one way to determine which is the hot (black) wire and which is the neutral (white) wire is to use a voltage tester or multimeter. Turn off the power, then use the tester to identify the wire that has voltage to determine the hot wire. The other wire would then be the neutral wire. Be sure to follow all safety precautions and consult a professional if needed.

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12y ago

If you are talking about lamp cord that table lamps use, look for a raised rib on one of the parallel wires. This is the identified wire so it will be connected to the neutral (silver) blade of the plug.

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14y ago

The wires have a coating that surrounds the conductor and it is called insulation. This insulation comes in different colours. These colours represent different uses of the wire. White represents the neutral wire and green represents the ground wire. Blue and yellow are used in control DC circuits. All other colours can be used as "hot" wires.

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8y ago

This requires troubleshooting with a live circuit and should only be done by someone with the proper knowledge to do so.

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11y ago

You don't.

Get a qualified electrician.

Safety first.

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Q: How do you determine the white and black wire if they are not marked?
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What to do with the white wire in track light with black green and white wires if the house does not have a white one?

If the house wiring does not have a white wire, you can cap off the white wire from the track light with a wire nut and electrical tape if necessary. The white wire is typically used as the neutral wire, but if it's not present in your house wiring, capping it off safely will ensure the track light functions correctly with the available black and green wires.


How do you connect timer white and black house wire with red black and white wires?

To connect a timer to a white and black house wire with red, black, and white wires, typically the black wire from the timer connects to the black house wire, the white wire from the timer connects to the white house wire, and the red wire from the timer connects to the red wire from the house. It's important to follow the manufacturer's instructions and turn off the power before installation.


How to wire a plug with blue brown and Black?

The brown wire is typically used for live, the blue wire for neutral, and the black wire is usually used for the appliance's power switch. Connect the brown wire to the live terminal (often marked L), the blue wire to the neutral terminal (often marked N), and the black wire to the appropriate terminal based on the device's wiring diagram. Be sure to follow proper safety precautions and guidelines when wiring the plug.


What is the red wire and what wire does it go with when there are three wires black red and white?

The red wire is typically used as the live wire in an electrical circuit. In a three-wire setup with black, red, and white wires, the black wire is usually the hot wire, the red wire is also a hot wire, and the white wire is the neutral wire. The red wire can be paired with the black wire to supply power to a specific device or component.


Light switch has 4 wire colors red and white and green and black which is the hot wire?

You have a 3 way switch. Your black wire is the hot wire. Your green wire is the ground wire. Your red and white wires go to the light and other switch. You should have gotten a wiring diagram with your switch.

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Is Black wire vs black wire with white stripe positive or negative?

Any marking (a white stripe, bump molded into the cable, different wire colours) is an indication for your reference only. It doesn't matter, as long as you connect the marked side on the amplifier to the same polarity on the speaker side.


What to do with the white wire in track light with black green and white wires if the house does not have a white one?

If the house wiring does not have a white wire, you can cap off the white wire from the track light with a wire nut and electrical tape if necessary. The white wire is typically used as the neutral wire, but if it's not present in your house wiring, capping it off safely will ensure the track light functions correctly with the available black and green wires.


How do you determine which wire on a solar panel is the negative end?

The negative wire on a solar panel is typically marked with a black color or minus (-) sign. You can also use a multimeter to test the voltage output of each wire to identify the negative end.


How do you connect timer white and black house wire with red black and white wires?

To connect a timer to a white and black house wire with red, black, and white wires, typically the black wire from the timer connects to the black house wire, the white wire from the timer connects to the white house wire, and the red wire from the timer connects to the red wire from the house. It's important to follow the manufacturer's instructions and turn off the power before installation.


How to wire a plug with blue brown and Black?

The brown wire is typically used for live, the blue wire for neutral, and the black wire is usually used for the appliance's power switch. Connect the brown wire to the live terminal (often marked L), the blue wire to the neutral terminal (often marked N), and the black wire to the appropriate terminal based on the device's wiring diagram. Be sure to follow proper safety precautions and guidelines when wiring the plug.


How do you wire the last fixture in a parallel circuit?

The last fixture in a parallel circuit is wired the same as the first. In North America, all of the fixtures are wired black wire to black wire and white wire to white wire. The black wire being the "hot" wire and the white wire being the neutral wire.


What is the red wire and what wire does it go with when there are three wires black red and white?

The red wire is typically used as the live wire in an electrical circuit. In a three-wire setup with black, red, and white wires, the black wire is usually the hot wire, the red wire is also a hot wire, and the white wire is the neutral wire. The red wire can be paired with the black wire to supply power to a specific device or component.


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If both wires for a ceiling light fixture are black how do you tell which is the live wire and which is neutral?

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What is the lamp black wire with white stripe?

If you are asking about the electrical cord on a lamp, the black wire with the white stripe is the neutral conductor.


When installing a Y shaped electric range plug and it has places for three wires and you have a black wire white wire and a bare copper wire so which wire goes where?

Usually the bottom leg is the ground. It should be marked as such with a g or the universal ground symbol, which is stacked dashes that get smaller from top to bottom. In this instance the white and black are both power legs and go to the two angled legs. Use your meter to verify this.


How do you tell what gauge wire you have in your house?

To determine the gauge of wire in your house, look for markings on the insulation or jacket of the wire. It usually indicates the gauge size, such as 14, 12, or 10. You can also use a wire gauge measuring tool to accurately determine the wire gauge.