The neutral wire is connected to an earth ground. The black wire is the hot wire which provides a 120 vac current source.

Electrical Wire Colors And What They All Mean Solved Bob Vila
White or black wire hot. The white wire is the neutral wire. Typically this is indicated with a band of black or red electrical tape but other colors may be used wrapped around the wires insulation. 335 views kev go lives in toowoomba queensland australia 2019 present. The white wire is called the neutral wire. It provides the return path for the current provided by the hot wire. Black means hot white signifies neutral and green indicates ground.
The black wire is the hot and the white wire is the neutral sometimes called the return leg. Its essential that you determine which black wire is hot before proceeding. In the most basic 110 volt electrical setup youll find two wires. The black wire is the hot wire. It provides the return path for the current provided by the hot wire. The black wire is hot.
Hot when a white wire is augmented with a red or black color marking this often indicates that it is being used as a hot wire rather than a neutral wire. Power flows from the box to the outlet through the black wire and back to the box through the white one. The neutral wire can also be gray. It provides a 120 vac current source. White wires with black or red tape. In a dc setting the black wire would be negative and the red wire positive.
However if you need to rewire a light switch or a plug socket you may occasionally come across two black wires. The white wire goes by many names that all mean the same thing. The easiest and safest way is to use a multimeter to test for current. Neutral common or return.