Hot wire? ? ?

[Ray Jenkins]

I'm putting in an old chandalier. Two wires come out of the ceiling -- one white, one black.

But the two wires coming out of the chandalier are both black -- one smooth round, the other grooved.

I think the grooved black wire should go to the white wire in the ceiling, but am not sure.

Any guidance appreciated.

[rednelb]

Coming out of the chandalier doesn't really matter. Just a simplle light circuit. It will work no matter how you wire it. Kind of like an older lamp plug that could be inserted into an outlet both ways. Newer chandaliers and fixtures will problably have black white and green.

[Speedy Jim]

Yes, you are correct; the "grooved" wire is the so-called "identified" conductor and goes to the Neutral (White) side.

It's done so that the screw shell of all the lampholders is on the Neutral (non-Hot) side thus minimizing the chance of a shock when changing bulbs.

Jim

[Joseph Meehan]

Not true. The proper way to wire a chandelier is to wire the neutral to the outside part of the socket (the screw part) and the hot to the center contact.

I believe Speedy has identified the neutral correctly

[I-zheet M'drurz]

Uhhh, almost!

It will *work* either way, but one way is to code and SAFER.

The "hot wire" goes to the black wire in the chandelier that goes to the contact at the bottom of the lamp socket(s).

If you go to change a bulb with the switch "on" (not all that hard to do) and you touch the threaded sleeve of the lamp sockets, and happen to be grounded, you are getting zapped. If wired correctly, you would need to poke your finger in all the way to the bottom of the socket to get juiced. It *does* matter for safety.

HTH.

[PopRivet]

Just a

you wire it.

inserted into an

will problably

and SAFER.

chandelier that

socket(s).

(not all that

the lamp

getting zapped.

finger in all

juiced. It *does*

plaisanterie

-------

line

And, it matters for insurance coverage, too.

Pop

[bitzah]

snip

G'day,, I am reading this "upside down" so forgive the question.

I am getting from your description that your lamp connections ,as a standard , are Edison Screw (ES down here). As we use only BC (Bayonet Cap) for domestic lighting reticulation hardware, I am wondering just why it is so up there close to the North Pole? Is there a particular reason to use ES? At first glance it would seem BS is safer for the very reason you quote a hazard exists when polarity is pharked up

for what you can offer,,thanks

BTZ

[Speedy Jim]

We use the "Edison Base" lamp holder because Tom Edison was a "native son". Plus, old habits die hard.

Jim

[Marilyn and Bob]

This is the way it is supposed to be BUT I have found that in rewired chandeliers I have seen, the person doing the rewiring was often not particular as to which wire went to which connection on the socket. If this is a factory wired chandelier, Speedy is undoubtedly correct. If it is has been hand rewired, however, you might want to check using a continuity tester whether the grooved wire is indeed connected to the outside shell of all of your sockets. If not, those connections should be changed.

[Mark Mastrocinque]

Don't guess......do a continuity test from each wire to the center contact and the socket. The hot leg should be connected to the center contact.....much safer.

[bitzah]

snip

..ah IC,,well ya gotta have loyalty ..eh? :- ) carnt beat that national pride,, us Antipodeans can empathise with that :-D

thanks

BTZ