I am replacing a ceiling fan. After removing the old, I realised the live and neutral wires coming from the ceiling are both red. Is there a way to distinguish. There are no markings on the wires at all.
2007-10-05 00:16:14 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
This is just a wild guess, but I have a feeling your are not in the USA. If that is the case, disreguard all the wrong answers from US make believe electricians. Call a real electrician in your country and ask him or her.
2007-10-05 05:01:04 · answer #1 · answered by John himself 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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.
2007-10-05 17:38:25 · answer #2 · answered by analize2much 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go the switch, open it up and do a low ohms check between both with a DMM, you will need some small extension wire to do this the one that shows the low resistance is your hot.
All of this needs to be done with the power OFF only. as a ohm reading add a small amount of DC current to make the detection.
As with any electrical project if you are not sure consult a professional.
2007-10-05 05:44:09 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Usa a multimeter and turn off power and set you meter to ohms.Place positive lead on the wire(red) and touch the negative lead (black) to ground. Ther will be 0 resistance between neutral and ground because they are both connected to ground. The hot wire will show infinity.
2007-10-05 05:10:05 · answer #4 · answered by Kevin D 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Buy one of those neon screwdrivers; they're pretty cheap. Touch the wires making sure you are touching the end of the screwdriver. If you do not see a light try it with a power supply you know works so's you know you are doing it correctly. A live wire will light your screwdriver a return wire will not.
2007-10-05 00:28:36 · answer #5 · answered by Keith B 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I suggest taking an electrical tester and check both wires by touching the wire with one side of the tester and grounding the other side.
If the meter shows power you have your hot and the wire that shows no power would be your common.
2007-10-05 01:37:26 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
test wire by running to known ground with a test light. copper pipe is ground.
chances are wires are coming from switch in which case i dont think it makes difference how its wired into 2 fanmotor wires....not sure really.
2007-10-05 04:26:02 · answer #7 · answered by enord 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Navy Blue and Silver or Black and Gold
2016-05-21 06:49:23 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
GG has the only correct answer above
2007-10-05 01:52:56 · answer #9 · answered by tamarack58 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
make sure you ground the fan first then it doesnt really matter which way you hook em up.
2007-10-05 00:21:48 · answer #10 · answered by Tim O 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋