How can I distinguish between a ground wire and a neutral wire, if all 3 wires are not colored?

Question

I have a multi-meter, and I have figured out which wire is hot. How can I figure out which of the two remaining wires is the neutral wire and which is the ground?

Thanks.

Answer 1

At the panel lift the neutral wire to the circuit.

Then at the outlet find the how wire by measuring voltage from each wire to ground. The one with line voltage is HOT.

Then measure for voltage between HOT and the other two wires. Since the Neutral is lifted you should measure voltage between Hot and the Ground wire.

Then replace the lifted neutral wire in the panel

Answer 2

Well here is an easy way to find out. If you have a ground wire you can use it as your common and touch each wire with a tester. The wire that shows voltage is your hot. Even if you dont have a ground source just touch the tester lead to one wire. The hot may give you a reading or floating voltage. The cheapest and fastest way is to touch em. Most people would say this is dangerous but it really isnt in this case. Make sure you are not grounded and touch them. The one that gives you a little tingle is the hot. Just dont touch them at the same time. If you are on a ladder chances are you arent grounded. Unless you have a metal ladder and a metal floor that is grounded.

Answer 3

OK, take care when doing this!
with the power on and the multimeter set to AC Voltage check each of the unknown wires to a known well grounded earth point, one may indicate a small voltage 1.0v ac to 13.0v ac.

Now turn off the power at the main breaker(not a circuit breaker), set the multimeter to an ohms range, again check between each wire and a known good ground, the wire which gave no reading in the first test and now does is the ground wire. The wire which had a small voltage in the first test and now gives no reading is the neutral