Wiring and Plugs, the Dummy Version

wiring a Two-wire plug

If there's one thing that the Antisocial Network research team has learned over the course of this project, it's that know-nothing freelancers can often be identified not because they give the wrong answer (although they often do), but because they answer the wrong question. You know, ask someone who is the greatest home-run hitter of all time and they start lecturing you on why Pete Rose belongs in Cooperstown. Today's another example, self-proclaimed diplomate in home inspection (they give diplomas? we think certificates are more likely) Bob White, pretending to explain "How to Know Which Is the Hot Wire in a Two-Wire Plug" at Hunker.com.

That's a valid question: after all, replacing a damaged plug or shortening a frayed power cord is an economical way to extend the life of small electrical items like clocks and lamps. For the sake of safety and sometimes proper operation, though, you must wire a new polarized plug correctly. White seems to get that point, telling his readers to

"...inspect the two flat prongs... Determine which of the two prongs is wider than the other. This prong is the neutral connection." Yep, Bob's right: the wider blade is neutral, the narrower is hot, and, assuming the outlet has the correct polarity, the plug will complete a properly-polarized circuit. Of course, if your electrical device is old enough that the blades are the same size or, more likely, the plug's badly damaged or entirely missing, you need to figure out which is which from the wires. Now what? Well, Bob tells you to

"...cut the exterior sheathing off... to expose the two wires inside....Separate the two wires that are inside... Insert the plug into an outlet. Touch the non-contact voltage detector to each of the wires. When the detector illuminates or makes an audible sound, you have found the hot wire."

We're pretty sure that Bob's "solution" is useless, even dangerous, because

1. Exposing the bare conductors is a safety hazard
2. Few, if any, cords for two-prong plugs have "exterior sheathing"
3. You can't plug the cord in if the plug is missing or damaged.

So now what? Well, people who actually know something about the subject of small appliance repairs can tell you that for the past several decades, the two wires of a power cord are different. Sometimes the hot wire is copper and the neutral is silver; but more often you can tell which is which by just looking at the insulation. The rubber or plastic sheath of the hot wire is smooth, the insulation of the neutral wire is either ribbed or identified by a white or gray stripe.

Diploma in home inspection or BS in computer science notwithstanding, Bob White has no idea what he's talking about. His solution is at best partial, it's useless in many cases, and more to the point, it's dangerous. Small wonder Bob's getting the Dumbass of the Day for today!

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