Below are some answers to common questions about electrical outlets and receptacles. Feel free to comment if you have any questions or comments.
Which Side of an Outlet is Hot?
The narrow slot of an electrical outlet is hot, as long as the outlet is wired properly. The wide slot on the outlet is the neutral side.
Which Side of an Electrical Outlet is the Black Wire Connected to?
The black wire is the hot wire, and it is connected to the narrow slot. The screws on an outlet are colored gold and silver. The black wire connects to the gold screw. The white wire is the neutral wire, and it connects to the silver-colored screw. The bare wire is the ground wire, and it connects to the green screw.
Which Prong on a Plug is Hot?
The narrow prong on a plug is hot, while the wider prong is the neutral side.
Why are there Gold and Silver Screws on an Outlet?
The screws on an electrical outlet are colored to ensure that the wires are connected to the correct sides of the outlet. The black wire is the hot wire, and it connects to the gold screw. The white wire is the neutral wire, and it connects to the silver-colored screw.
What are the Parts of an Electrical Outlet Called?
An electrical outlet (more correctly called a receptacle) has three holes or slots. The hole or slot on the left is called the “neutral”. The hole or slot on the right is called the “hot”. The lower hole is the ground hole.
Which is the Hot Wire on a 3-Prong Plug?
The narrow prong on a 3-prong plug is hot, while the wider prong is the neutral side. (See the diagram above.)
Which Wire is Hot on a Two Prong Plug?
The narrow prong on a two-prong plug is the hot wire, while the wider prong is for the neutral wire.
Which Prong on a Plug is Positive?
In AC (alternating current), there is no positive and negative. There is hot and neutral. The narrow prong on a plug, and the narrow slot on an outlet is the hot side. The wide prong is the neutral side.
Is the Bigger Plug Negative or Positive?
In AC (alternating current), there is no positive and negative. There is hot and neutral. The narrow prong on a plug, and the narrow slot on an electrical outlet is the hot side. The wide prong is the neutral side.
Where does the Ground Wire Connect on an Electrical Outlet or Receptacle?
The ground wire is the bare wire, and it connects to the green screw on an electrical receptacle.
Electrical Receptacle versus Outlet
The terms outlet and receptacle are often interchanged, but they do have specific and separate meanings.
An outlet is a point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment. Some examples of outlets are
- A receptacle that you plug something into
- The electrical box where a light is connected on a wall or ceiling
- The wires in a wall or ceiling where a hard-wired smoke detector is connected
A receptacle is a contact device where you can plug something in. A receptacle is the device on the wall where you plug in your TV, lamp, phone charger, etc.
Based on the definitions above, a receptacle is an example of an outlet. A receptacle is always a type of outlet, but an outlet is not always a receptacle.
How to Tell if a 2-Prong Outlet is Grounded
By definition, a 2-prong outlet (receptacle) cannot be grounded. Since there is no grounding slot or a ground screw to connect a ground wire to, a 2-prong receptacle will never be grounded.
See my post about grounded and ungrounded outlets.
If you have an ungrounded outlet, check out our Youtube video on how to fix it and make it safe.
© 2021 Mike Morgan
This article was written by Mike Morgan, the owner of Morgan Inspection Services. Morgan Inspection Services has been providing home, septic and well inspection services throughout the central Texas area since 2002. He can be reached at 325-998-4663 or at mike@morganinspectionservices.com. No article, or portion thereof, may be reproduced or copied without prior written consent of Mike Morgan.
