In a typical three-wire AC power cord, which color wire is considered the Hot wire?

In a typical three-wire AC power cord, which color wire is considered the Hot wire?

• A. Red
• B. Black
• C. White
• D. Green

Answer: (B)

Hot is the conductor that carries the live voltage from the outlet to the device. In a typical three-wire AC cord used in North America, the wires are color-coded: black is hot, white is neutral, and green is ground. The hot wire provides the voltage the device needs when it’s plugged in, the neutral returns current to the source, and the ground offers a safety path for fault currents. Red can be used as a second hot in some configurations (like certain 240 V setups), but for a standard three-wire cord, the hot is black.

Hot is the conductor that carries the live voltage from the outlet to the device. In a typical three-wire AC cord used in North America, the wires are color-coded: black is hot, white is neutral, and green is ground. The hot wire provides the voltage the device needs when it’s plugged in, the neutral returns current to the source, and the ground offers a safety path for fault currents. Red can be used as a second hot in some configurations (like certain 240 V setups), but for a standard three-wire cord, the hot is black.