question about old wire

[xymergy]

Well, today I decided to disconnect a hot-wired flourescent shop light fixture and install a three-prong outlet in that box so I could plug in two new shop lights. Once I got into the box, I realized I couldn't tell which of the two wires is the hot (black) since this wire is not grounded and not neatly color coded black/white. If I touch one end of the neon tester to one wire and the other to the metal junction box and it lights up, but the other wire under the same procedure does not, am I right to think that the wire that lights up is the hot/black?

[I-zheet M'drurz]

Yes.

[Anon]

Careful. Some of those flourescent fixtures are 240. -Dave

[The Masked Marvel]

If in doubt, chech the ballest label, but if it was working fine hard wired to 120V it should be fine plugged in to 120V

And yes the wire that lights the neon light when the light is connected to ground is the hot (black) wire. Be very careful w/ live circuits though!

[Toller]

If one wire is hot and the other isn't...

[George E. Cawthon]

Yes, but if you have a neon tester, most of the time you only need to hold one end lead and touch the other lead to the wire. It will glow if you have the hot lead. Don't believe me? try it.