Sage-Tips

What does the writing on wires mean?

Letters, numbers, and wording on wiring labels tell you important information, such as the wire material, the size of the wire, and the type of insulation used on the conducting wires. Cables carry labels indicating the cable type or construction as well as the number of wires inside the cable.

How can you tell which wire is positive and negative when white?

If you have a wire where both sides are the same color, which is typically copper, the strand that has a grooved texture is the negative wire. Run your fingers along the wire to determine which side has the ribbing. Feel the other wire which is smooth. This is your positive wire.

Which side of the wire has writing on it?

Which wire has writing on it?

Does the white wire have writing on it?

Most likely the neutral wire is white and the hot wire is red or black, but test to make sure. In this case, the neutral wire is always identified by some means. In some cases, there will be small writing on the wiring case. In others, there are small ridges or indentations on the insulation.

Is dashed line positive or negative?

The solid/dashed lines on wires like the ones pictured in your question are used to indicate polarity e.g. for the “wall wart” power supplies. Usually* the wire with the white stripe or the dashed lines carries the “positive” (+) end, while the other, unmarked wire carries the “negative” (-) end.

Is white wire hot or neutral?

Here’s a rundown of electrical wires: The black wire is the “hot” wire, it carries the electricity from the breaker panel into the switch or light source. The white wire is the “neutral” wire, it takes any unused electricity and current and sends it back to the breaker panel.

What is the white wire in electrical?

neutral
The white wire is the “neutral” wire, it takes any unused electricity and current and sends it back to the breaker panel. The green wire (or it can sometimes be uncolored) wire is the “ground” wire, it will take electricity back to the breaker panel, then outside to a rod that’s buried in the ground.

What do the white dashes mean on a power supply cable?

The white dashes are markers for getting useful information about this power supply. Usually cable with white dashes means that that wire is VCC (i.e +12V) wire and the other, without dashes, means that the wire is GND (0V).

What do the letters mean on electrical wiring labels?

Letters, numbers, and wording on wiring labels tell you important information, such as the wire material, the size of the wire, and the type of insulation used on the conducting wires. Labels are found on both individual insulated wires and on insulated cable containing bundles of wires.

What do the solid/dashed lines on wires mean?

The solid/dashed lines on wires like the ones pictured in your question are used to indicate polarity e.g. for the “wall wart” power supplies. Usually * the wire with the white stripe or the dashed lines carries the “positive” (+) end, while the other, unmarked wire carries the “negative” (-) end.

What does the color red and black mean in electrical wiring?

For DC circuits, red and black mean positive and negative, most usually the power wires. For AC circuits, the mains wiring have certain preferred colors – Blue and brown and green with yellow stripe are Neutral and hot and ground colors mandated by current EU regulations. In the US, white, Black and green perform the same functions.