Reverse Polarity is a common problem I come across either in the outlets or with the home’s wiring. Home wiring is color coded, Black is HOT (often called the live wire) and WHITE is NEUTRAL. This is different from 12 volt systems where the black is often the neutral, it is very important to understand how wiring differs for a home over an automobile.
In home wiring it is very easy to know what the wires are:
- White wire is the neutral
- Green or bare wire is the ground
- Any other color than white, green or bare is a hot (live wire)
An outlet that is wired backwards is a reversed outlet, the terminals on a outlet is colored to let you know what is the hot side and what is the neutral. Brass is hot (black wire) the silver is neutral (white wire). If an outlet has reverse polarity is it hard to tell unless it is tested because alternating current (AC) will only travel in one direction like water flowing in the river. If it was hooked up to direct current (DC/12 volt battery) the motor would rotate in the opposite direction and is very easy to recognize.
The reason that reversed polarity can create a shock hazard in certain situations is because the switch is positioned before
Bad Upgraded Outlets
Inspecting older homes the most common defect I find is bad electrical outlet upgrades. Usually
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