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How to Distinguish Positive and Negative Wires

December 27, 2023 by admin Category: How To

You are viewing the article How to Distinguish Positive and Negative Wires  at Tnhelearning.edu.vn you can quickly access the necessary information in the table of contents of the article below.

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This article was co-written by Ricardo Mitchell. Ricardo Mitchell is general manager of CN Coterie, an EPA-certified construction company based in Manhattan, New York. CN Coterie specializes in home improvement, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, furniture restoration, dismantling of OATH/ECB violators, and dismantling of DOB violators. Ricardo has more than 10 years of experience in the electrical and construction industry, his associates have more than 30 years of experience in the related industry.

There are 9 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.

This article has been viewed 19,991 times.

When working with wires, it is important that you distinguish the wire’s electrode. Some wires are clearly marked with a plus (anode) or a minus sign (cathode), while others are not. For unmarked wires, you can try to identify them first by looking at physical features such as color or texture. If you’re still unsure, check the wires with a digital multimeter. Once the electrode is identified, you can proceed to what you need to do.

Table of Contents

  • Steps
    • Identify wires in common situations
    • Using a digital multimeter
  • Warning

Steps

Identify wires in common situations

Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 1

Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 1

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You need to know that plugs of electrical appliances do not actually have positive and negative poles. Instead, they are called “hot” and “cold” (or neutral) wires. [1] X Research Source
Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 2

Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 2

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For extension cords, the ribbed wire is usually the negative wire. If you’re looking at a wire with two wires of the same color (usually copper), the thread with the groove texture is the negative wire. Run your finger along the wire to see which has the veins. [2] X Research Source

  • If the other thread is smooth, it’s a positive wire.
Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 3

Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 3

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The positive wire is black for recessed ceiling lights. When you install a chandelier or any type of recessed light, first look for the 3 wires sticking out of the hole to attach the light. If there is a black wire, it is a positive wire, a white wire is a negative wire, and a green wire is a ground wire. [3] X Research Sources

  • Sometimes the ground wire will be copper color instead of green.
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Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 4

Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 4

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In speaker wiring, the copper wire usually carries the positive electrode. For the standard wiring of devices like speakers and equalizers, the silver wire is the negative wire, the copper wire is the positive wire. These wires are usually held together by a transparent insulating sheath, so you can easily identify each wire’s electrode quickly. [4] X Research Sources

Other case

For multi-colored wires including red and black, the black wire is the negative wire and the red wire is the positive wire .

If both wires are black but one of them has a white stripe, the striped one is negative and the plain black one is positive . [5] X Research Sources

Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 5

Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 5

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Refer to the owner’s manual to determine the electrodes for automotive wiring. Since there is no international system or standard, each car has its own color code for the wires. You need to see the wiring diagrams for the specific make and model in the owner’s manual. [6] X Research Source

  • If you no longer have the manual, look it up in the library or online. You can also contact a technician at your local dealer or shop.

Using a digital multimeter

Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 6

Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 6

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Set the digital multimeter to DC current measurement mode. Turn the large selector knob in the center of the multimeter to the same symbol as a capital “V” with a dash above it. This is the direct current (DC) voltage measurement setting of the multimeter. [7] X Research Sources

  • An analog multimeter should not be used to test electrodes. The needle-pointing multimeter can be damaged if you connect the wrong leads.
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Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 7

Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 7

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Connect 1 probe of the multimeter to 1 wire. It doesn’t matter which end connects to which wire, you just need to use the alligator clip to secure 1 probe (black and red) to 1 wire. [8] X Research Sources

  • Check that the black probe wire is plugged into the “COM” port located on the front of the multimeter. Besides, the red probe also needs to be connected to the port marked volt (“V”) on the meter.
Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 8

Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 8

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Observe whether the displayed result is a negative or positive number. After connecting the probes to the ends of the wire, see the results displayed on the multimeter display. This number is the voltage of the wire and can be displayed as a positive or negative number. [9] X Research Source

  • If there is no indicator, first check to see if the alligator clamp secures the probes to the wire.
  • If the readings still do not appear on the screen, you need to replace the multimeter battery and try again. It is also possible that there is a problem with the probe wire, so the multimeter does not display the reading. In this case, you need to buy a new probe.
Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 9

Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 9

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If the display shows a positive reading, the wire to which the red probe is connected carries a positive electrode. If the multimeter shows a positive reading (eg, 9.2), the probes are connected in the correct direction. This means that the wire to which the red probe is connected is the positive electrode, and the wire to which the black probe is in contact carries the negative electrode.

  • If the multimeter shows a negative reading (such as -9.2), it means that the two probes are connected in the opposite direction and the wire that the red one touches is the negative wire.
  • Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 10

    Image titled Identify Positive and Negative Wires Step 10

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    Swap the two probes if you get a negative reading. Swap positions by clamping the red probe to the wire the black probe is connecting to and vice versa. After swapping positions, if the display shows a positive reading, you have connected the probes to the correct wires.

    • For example, after swapping the positions of the two probes, the previous index of -9.2 will become 9.2.
    • If the display still shows a negative reading, the multimeter may be faulty. You can take the device to an electronics store to have the fuse checked or buy a new multimeter.
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  • Warning

    • The reverse polarity in the circuit can damage the power supply, even cause an explosion.
    • If you make a mistake (such as wiring the positive wire while using the negative wire), the power cord can burn.
    • Never use an analog multimeter if you are not sure about the electrode of the wire. Connecting the wrong probe to the wrong electrode can damage the multimeter.
    X

    This article was co-written by Ricardo Mitchell. Ricardo Mitchell is general manager of CN Coterie, an EPA-certified construction company based in Manhattan, New York. CN Coterie specializes in home improvement, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, furniture restoration, dismantling of OATH/ECB violators, and dismantling of DOB violators. Ricardo has more than 10 years of experience in the electrical and construction industry, his associates have more than 30 years of experience in the related industry.

    There are 9 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.

    This article has been viewed 19,991 times.

    When working with wires, it is important that you distinguish the wire’s electrode. Some wires are clearly marked with a plus (anode) or a minus sign (cathode), while others are not. For unmarked wires, you can try to identify them first by looking at physical features such as color or texture. If you’re still unsure, check the wires with a digital multimeter. Once the electrode is identified, you can proceed to what you need to do.

    Thank you for reading this post How to Distinguish Positive and Negative Wires at Tnhelearning.edu.vn You can comment, see more related articles below and hope to help you with interesting information.

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