Rewire a Plug

[Buck Turgidson]

Probably a basic question, but I am rewiring a vacuum cleaner plug. Which goes on the wide prong of the plug - the black or white wire?

Thanks

[RBM]

The wide one is the white or neutral

[Thomas D. Horne, FF EMT]

Look at the color of the screws on the receptacle's terminals. That should answer your question.

[Buck Turgidson]

Thanks for the education! That's handy to know.

[Stormin Mormon]

Typically the black is "hot" which goes on the narrow blade. The white is neutral, which goes on the wide blade.

[avid_hiker]

Aye......the colors within plug..... The silver screw is nuetral(white) and the gold screw is hot(black).

[bowgus]

Then the question is ... which way did the vacuum cleaner assembler wire the cord it at the other end ... and why does it matter :-)

[Gary KW4Z]

That would matter greatly, if the factory cord was replaced by someone else. Neutral (Wide Blade or Slot) is usually at Ground potential (common with Ground in the breaker box), do not confuse or try to equate with 220 Volt circuit though strictly speaking 110 Volts. Anyway if the vacuum cleaner has a metal case or to any case, the case would be at electrical neutral or ground potential when plugged in and everything is wired right. If however someone wired the Vacuum backwards (Hot & Neutral Reversed) or any appliance for that matter then it's possible that when plugged in the case, metal, plastic, or screws securing the case would be at HOT Potential rather than ground. Then if you touch the case, screw etc with one hand and touch another appliance that is wired correctly (Case at true ground potential) then you have 110 Volts traveling through your body. That is the danger, if the Vacuum's cord was replaced incorrectly. Black would go to the Narrow blade or slot and usually is a copper terminal whereas the White wire is the Neutral, larger or longer slot or blade in the receptacle and and silver, nickel in color. Green is Grounding (third wire).

If the vacuum is not double insulated and there is some question or if it's a metal case you can always, with a volt ohm meter check the continuity between the vacuum case, screws or any metal part with the white wire and the black wire and see if you have a connection between them. Every case can be different so don't assume anything always double check and verify.

On 12/26/06 12:55 PM, in article [e-mail], "bowgus" wrote:

[bowgus]

Vacuum cleaners around here are 2 prong ... as are most small appliances, PCs, ... Plug em in any which way, no problem.