A return wire which carries the load to the fixture and may be black red or any other color except green. However if you need to rewire a light switch or a plug socket you may occasionally come across two black wires.
Changing A Light Switch How Tos Diy
Old light switch has 2 black wires. Two or three wires will be attached to the switch. An incoming hot wire which is black. The easiest and safest way is to use a multimeter to test for current. In some configurations known as a switch loop the switch may be connected to a black and a white wire that has been marked with black tape to indicate that it serves as a hot wire. In the course of replacing this light receptacle i came across two white wires. Black means hot white signifies neutral and green indicates ground.
Knowing which wire does what and goes where is imperative not only in the correct configuration of an electrical system but also for your familys safety. Its essential that you determine which black wire is hot before proceeding. There may also be a green grounding screw attached to bare copper circuit grounding wires but this is not always the case. And sometimes a grounding wire which is green or bare copperthere may be other wires in the box but you are only dealing with the ones connected directly to the switch. All home electrical wires made in the us. How do you find out which wire is hot or the black wire.
Follow standard color codes that identify each wires function in a circuit.