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In a standard 15 or 20 amp receptacle (plug), with the ground in the bottom position, the neutral wire goes to the left side of the receptacle as you look at the front of it. The hot wire goes on the right side.
Note: the screws to clamp the wire are colour coded. The neutral goes to the silver coloured screw and the hot goes to the brass coloured screw.
The silver/brass colour coding does not apply in the UK, but the neutral pin is still on the left.
With the ground in the bottom position, notice the heights of the two parallel slots of the receptacle. The taller (or wider) one - on the left - is the neutral, and the shorter one is the hot side. Think of it from a safety point of view: a person is more likely to accidentally touch the bigger slot, so make that one safer than the shorter one.
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If you wire a plug in reverse by mistke with the hot lead on the thick side of the polarized plug will it cause a problem?
Yes it can. The plug and socket are polarized to be sure that the hot and neutral are not reversed.
What is the wide spade on a polarized plug called?
The wide blade is the neutral and the narrow one is the hot.
On a two prong plug which side is neutral?
the wider of the 2 blades, provided that the plug is polarized
Polarized plug which wire is hot?
A polarized plug can only fit together in one direction. This is to prevent reverse polarity in the device you are plugging in.
How do you install a 120V outlet allowing the top plug to be controlled from a switch on the wall?
There is a "lug" that connects the top part of the plug to the bottom. One side will be brass, the other will be silver. The brass side should control the "hot" side of the plug, and the silver side will be the "neutral" side of the plug. New plug outlets all come equipped with lugs that can be "snapped off" by bending them. Don't bother with the neutral side, even if the plug is switched the neutral needs to remain connected to the same place. Once you've taken care of the hot lug, connect the bottom half of the plug to the original "hot" wire and connect the switch leg WHITE wire to the same place. The BLACK wire of the switch leg should go to the TOP (switched) side of the outlet. If you need a diagram, send me an e-mail and I'll give you a simple drawing.
If you wire a plug in reverse by mistke with the hot lead on the thick side of the polarized plug will it cause a problem?
Yes it can. The plug and socket are polarized to be sure that the hot and neutral are not reversed.
What is the wide spade on a polarized plug called?
The wide blade is the neutral and the narrow one is the hot.
What is a polarized electrial outlet?
In the US the larger prong is Nuetral and the smaller is Live or Positive.
Is the wide part on a plug positive?
What you are refering to is a polarized plug. The wide connector forces the proper orientation in the outlet. This is so that the hot and neutral connectors in the plug, match the hot and neutral (cold) prongs on the plug. This forces a switch to operate on the "live" or hot wire. If a switch interrupted the flow of electricity in the neutral wire, the appliance would still shut off but the plug itself will remain "hot" whcih is a shock hazard. No, the wide blade on a plug is the neutral connection.
On a two prong plug which side is neutral?
the wider of the 2 blades, provided that the plug is polarized
Polarized plug which wire is hot?
A polarized plug can only fit together in one direction. This is to prevent reverse polarity in the device you are plugging in.
This is a 2 prong polarized female. However a 2 prong unpolarized male will easily plug into a 2 prong polarized female. just not the other way around.?
This is a 2 prong polarized female. However a 2 prong unpolarized male will easily plug into a 2 prong polarized female. just not the other way around.
How does a polarized plug prevent reverse polarity?
A polarized plug allows connection in only one direction. This ensures that electrical components with a higher risk of user contact, such as the shell of a lamp socket, as opposed to the center pin, is connected to neutral, and thus not presenting an electrocution hazard.
How does a phase leg connect to a neutral in an electrical circuit?
A phase leg connects to the neutral through the connected load.
Does the ribbed wire connect to the positive or negative on a light fixture?
On a molded 2- or 3-wire line cord the ribbed conductor is the neutral conductor. On a polarized 2-prong plug it will be connected to the wider blade. On some line cords the neutral conductor may have a white stripe instead of ribs.
What color is the neutral in a plug?
In the UK the neutral wire is 'blue'.
What is the purpose of polarization?
A polarized plug allows connection in only one direction. This ensures that electrical components with a higher risk of user contact, such as the shell of a lamp socket, as opposed to the center pin, is connected to neutral, and thus not presenting an electrocution hazard.
