How to identify hot and neutral wire on a lamp cord
Content
Are you trying to connect the plug you just bought to the lamp?
Are you afraid of making a mistake that will completely damage the electrical components of the lamp or even other household appliances?
When dealing with any form of polarized wiring, you need to get active and neutral wiring. connections correctly to avoid the danger of electric shock and other dangers.
This is why it is important to first identify the hot and neutral wires in the plug before connecting it to the lamp.
We recognize that not everyone knows how to do this, so we present to you step-by-step guide to accurately determine the polarity of the lamp cord just with a multimeter.
Let's get started.
Required Tools
To determine the neutral and hot wires in the lamp cord, you need to
- Insulated gloves
- Voltage tester
- multimeter
what is the hot wire on the lamp cord
The hot wire on the lamp cord is either a smooth wire, a black wire, or a wire that gives you a voltage reading when tested with a multimeter. The first two identification methods mainly depend on the lamp manufacturer..
More information about this will be provided.
Hot wire identification by color
The easiest way to distinguish wires in any household appliance is to use color coding.
Now, while there are guidelines in many countries as to which color corresponds to the polarity of the wire, it is ultimately dictated by the manufacturer.
The usual choice used to indicate live or hot wire on a lamp cord is black. However, a manufacturer can easily decide to use a white or red wire to indicate a live connection.
Sometimes the manufacturer may even use black or white for both the hot and neutral connections of your lamp cord. This is why other hot wire detection methods are important.
Hot wire identification through texture
Another way to identify a hot wire in a lamp cord is through texture. Unlike the neutral wire, which may have ridges or lines along it, the hot wire is usually smooth.
This is another factor to look out for if the hot and neutral wires are the same color. However, as with color codes, the manufacturer plays a huge role in determining what the texture means.
Your lamp manufacturer may use wire with a rough surface for hot-wiring. How, then, to accurately and accurately determine the hot wire, without fear of any changes from the manufacturer?
Use a multimeter.
How to determine the hot wire in the lamp cord with a multimeter
A multimeter is the best tool for distinguishing the hot wire of a lamp cord from the neutral wire, and all you need to do is follow these steps.
- Wear protection
To test the hot wire of a lamp plug, you need to have current flowing through it. This means that you can be executed if you come into contact with the current current and you don't want that to happen.
Put on rubber insulating gloves before testing the hot wire with a multimeter. Also, make sure your hand does not touch the multimeter wire while it is on the lamp cord wire.
- Set the multimeter to high AC voltage
Your home uses AC voltage, so to test the lamp cord, you turn the dial of the multimeter to the AC voltage position, labeled "V~" or "VAC" on the multimeter.
Also make sure the dial is set to the closest higher range to your power outlet.
For example, if you have a 120 volt power supply, set the multimeter to the 200 VAC range. If you have a 240 volt power supply, set the multimeter to the 600 VAC range. It helps with accuracy.
- Place the black test lead to ground
Place the multimeter's negative test lead on the ground or any metal surface nearby. It can be a metal screw or even a screwdriver.
- Place a red test lead on each wire
You need to test each wire for voltage to identify a hot wire.
With the lamp plug in the wall socket and the light switch on, connect the red positive lead of the multimeter to each of the wires to test them for ground.
- Rate results
The hot wire is the one that gives you a voltage reading, about the same as when power is applied to the cord (120VAC, 240VAC, or whatever voltage).
This method is the best and most accurate. If you don't get any readings at all, the lamp cord is not receiving power or there is a short circuit in the cord wiring.
Watch our video tutorial where we show the whole process in detail.
Hot wire identification using continuity
Another way to use a multimeter to determine the polarity of the lamp plug wires is to check for continuity between the wires and lamp components.
This method is suitable for people who have the wire already screwed or soldered to the lamp.
The light fixture usually has a brass tab that connects to the bottom of the light bulb. This is its active part, connected to the hot wire.
Set the multimeter to continuous mode or adjust the "Ohm" parameter, denoted by the letter "Ω", place the black probe on the brass material and place the red probe on each of the wires.
The one that causes the beep or low resistance reading on the multimeter is the hot wire.
In addition to this, another tool that you can use to identify the hot wire of a lamp cord is a voltage tester. In this case, you simply connect the cord to the power source and apply the tip of the tester to the wires.
The wire that is causing the indicator light to flash or the voltage tester beeping is the hot lamp cord wire.
How to identify the neutral wire on a lamp cord
The neutral wire is the wire in your plug with white insulation, fins, or the one that gives low voltage to the multimeter. The accuracy of the first two identification methods varies by manufacturer, with a multimeter being the most accurate..
Let's dive into this.
In the same way that you can identify a hot wire in a cord, you can use color codes, textures, or a multimeter/voltmeter to determine the neutral wire.
Neutral wire identification with color code
With color codes, you would expect the neutral wire to be either white or grey. These are the most popular home wiring colors used in different countries, especially in the USA.
The cord manufacturer can now use a different color, such as blue, or even the same one used for the heating wire.
This means that, as with hot wire, electrical wiring is not always correctly polarized using colors, and codes cannot be completely trusted.
Neutral wire identification with texture
Another way to tell a neutral wire from a hot wire is the texture of its insulation.
Neutral wires usually have ridges along them, compared to smooth hot wires.
However, the manufacturer may decide (or mistakenly) mix it up, so a multimeter is your best bet.
How to determine the neutral wire in the lamp cord using a multimeter
- Wear protective equipment
Protect yourself from electric shock by wearing rubber insulated gloves. Also make sure that your hands do not touch the multimeter wires when they are on the lamp cord wires.
- Set the multimeter to high AC voltage
AC voltage is indicated on the multimeter as "V~" or "VAC" and also comes in two ranges; 200 VAC and 600 VAC.
To most accurately check the polarity of your wires, set the dial of your multimeter to the highest range closest to your power source.
- Place the black probe on any metal surface nearby
Ground the multimeter's black negative lead to any metal surface that is near you. It can be any piece of metal in your home, such as a screw, wrench, or even a spoon.
- Place a red test lead on each wire of the lamp cord
Now that the plug is energized, you test each of the lamp cord wires for ground by placing the multimeter's red positive lead on them.
You place the multimeter wire on a piece of wire without insulation.
- Rate results
The neutral wire represents a very low voltage compared to the other wire or the expected power supply.
This is the most accurate method for determining it, and the choice of manufacturer does not count here.
Defining a Neutral Wire Using Continuity
You can also determine which wire is neutral by checking for continuity between the cord wiring and your lamp components.
This is for those who have the lamp cords already connected to the lamp with screws or soldering.
To do this, set the multimeter to continuous or ohm mode, usually denoted by the letter "ohm". Without any power source, you then place the black wire on the thread or metal lamp holder in the lamp. This is the metal part that allows the lamp to hold the bulb tightly.
Now place a red wire on each of the wires. The wire where the multimeter beeps or indicates low resistance is the neutral wire.
Conclusion
Identifying the hot and neutral wires in your lamp cord is not the most difficult task, especially when it is made using the correct color codes and textures.
However, they can be mixed up, so the most accurate method is to use a multimeter to check for voltage or continuity in the lamp cord components. You can also use a multimeter to test ground if you have three wires.
F.A.Q.
Does it matter which wire goes where on the lamp?
Yes, it is important that you connect the lamp cord correctly. Although the lamp is still in operation, placing the hot wire where the neutral wire should be creates a risk of electrical shock to the metal parts of the lamp.
What happens if you connect the wire and neutral to the light incorrectly?
Mixing hot and neutral wires in the presence of light creates a risk of electric shock. This is because some external metal components are live when the hot wire is connected to the neutral thread of the lamp.
