Typically you would have black - phase conductor to always on receptacles red - phase conductor to switched receptacles white - neutral conductor green or bare - earthing conductor The black and red are connected by a switch often wired from the receptacle box with a black/white pair (they don't sell black/red pairs). Hence the white wire returning from the switch is spliced to the red wire. The code now (as of NEC 1999 clause 200-7(c) ) requires that the white wire used for the switch circuit be reidentified at its terminations, for example with red or black tape, since white is reserved for neutral (grounded) conductors.
Before you start messing with connections, you should verify what places the wires go. You never know what someone might have wired up. Bob Johnson Electrical-Safety - Bill Addiss wrote: > Red wire is also commonly used as the 'switch leg' (the wire that's > 'Hot' when the switch is on) > For what it's worth the most common arrangement where I am is that the > whole Receptacle is switched. > > The description given seems a little confusing to me, (red and white > wires are jumpered??) but it sounds like something may be miswired. > > Dave, > > I have never heard of a code requirement that specifies orientation of > a Receptacle, Metal plate or not. > Is this a local amendment? > > Bill Addiss > > At 01:40 PM 12/1/2005, Dave Osborn wrote: > >> Hello Robert, >> >> Fat fingers not withstanding, ground up is considered safer and is a >> code >> requirement when metal faceplates are used. >> >> Consider what happens if the faceplate screw is loose and the metal >> faceplate slides down toward the pins and the hot pins are up. >> >> You would much prefer the faceplate to contact the ground conductor. >> >> As for the red wire, it is also commonly used as the alternate hot >> conductor with 3-way switches. >> >> Best regards, >> >> Dave Osborn >> PM-CMS >> Philips Medical Systems >> PMS-158 3178 >> +1 978 659 3178 >> fax +1 978 685 5624 >> [email protected] >> >> >> >> >> >> >> To >> "Stone, Richard" >> <[email protected]> >> "Robert A. >> Macy" cc >> <[email protected] [email protected] >> > >> Subject >> Re: home outlet wiring >> Sent by: >> Classification >> [email protected] >> >> 12/01/2005 12:51 PM >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> It is my understanding that the RED wire is usually >> reserved for the opposite phase of 110Vac of the black >> wire. For wiring 220V outlets, etc. >> >> I've never seen red used as a neutral except in "home" >> wiring. >> >> To bring back to more onto safety topic: >> >> I've only seen 1/2 a single outlet wired to a wall switch >> in residential rooms. That outlet, to differentiate it >> from all the normally powered outlets, is mounted upside >> down. That is, with the ground at the top. >> >> My comment is: >> Great, makes it easy to find which outlet it is, but isn't >> it dangerous since your fingers can slip down around the >> plug and pick up HOT wires instead of the GROUND wire? >> Yes, I know fat fingers, but still if you've done it once, >> It's enough to convince you of the wisdom of having the >> GROUND pin at the bottom. >> >> - Robert - >> >> On Thu, 1 Dec 2005 11:39:39 -0500 >> "Stone, Richard" <[email protected]> wrote: >> > hello group, >> > >> > Regarding typical USA outlets on the walls, I have seen >> > an outlet that has: >> > 1. frame ground >> > 2. white wire-neutral >> > 3. red wire-? >> > 4. black wire-hot >> > >> > what is the purpose of the red wire? >> > on the outlet in question, the red and white wires are >> > jumpered in the back of the outlet. >> > >> > in the room, the wall switch turns off both top and >> > bottom outlets, normally a wall switch only >> > affects either the top OR bottom outlet,not both. Also >> > all 4 outlets in the room are controlled by the one >> > switch >> > is the red wire some time of connection between outlets >> > only and not fed back to the breaker box? that's my >> > thought. >> > any ideas on this? >> > >> > thanks >> > Richard, >> > >> >> - >> ---------------------------------------------------------------- >> This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society >> emc-pstc discussion list. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ >> >> To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to [email protected] >> >> Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html >> >> List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html >> >> For help, send mail to the list administrators: >> >> Scott Douglas [email protected] >> Mike Cantwell [email protected] >> >> For policy questions, send mail to: >> >> Jim Bacher: [email protected] >> David Heald: [email protected] >> >> All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: >> >> http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc >> >> - >> ---------------------------------------------------------------- >> This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society >> emc-pstc discussion list. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ >> >> To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to [email protected] >> >> Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html >> >> List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html >> >> For help, send mail to the list administrators: >> >> Scott Douglas [email protected] >> Mike Cantwell [email protected] >> >> For policy questions, send mail to: >> >> Jim Bacher: [email protected] >> David Heald: [email protected] >> >> All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: >> >> http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc >> This E-mail scanned for viruses by RAVES(ReadyConnect.Net Anti-Virus >> EMail System) > > > Bill Addiss > Electrical Safety Forum > http://www.Electrical-Safety.com > - > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society > emc-pstc discussion list. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ > > To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to [email protected] > > Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html > > List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html > > For help, send mail to the list administrators: > > Scott Douglas [email protected] > Mike Cantwell [email protected] > > For policy questions, send mail to: > > Jim Bacher: [email protected] > David Heald: [email protected] > > All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: > > http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc > > - This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to [email protected] Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas [email protected] Mike Cantwell [email protected] For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: [email protected] David Heald: [email protected] All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc
