The white wire goes by many names that all mean the same thing. These outlets are the older version of the current type b outlet.

Which Wire Is Hot Black Or White Is The Black Wire Hot
Which wire is hot. Look at the colors of the wires in your lamp. It provides the return path for the current provided by the hot wire. Type b was created to provide a connection for an electrical safety system. If you have four then the black and red wires are both hot. The two prongs provide a hot and neutral electrical connection. The white wire is the neutral wire which takes any unused electricity and current and sends them back to the breaker panel.
In the most basic 110 volt electrical setup youll find two wires. The black wire is hot. The neutral wire is connected to an earth ground. A two wire plug uses a type a outlet. There can be other colors of hot wires in some systems as well but black is the most common. Neutral wires should be white.
Neutral common or return. The white wire is called the neutral wire. The standard color for your hot wire is black. If there are three wires the wire with black insulation is hot. The type a plug has two flat parallel prongs and can fit in both styles of outlets. Power flows from the box to the outlet through the black wire and back to the box through the white one.
The black wire is the hot wire which provides a 120 vac current source. The black wire is the hot wire which carries the electricity from the breaker panel into the switch or light source. If you see a black wire you should always assume its hot.