Originally posted by: boomerang
Originally posted by: compuwiz1
There is no polarity on A/C it does not matter. 1 of 2 ways to connect. Either way will work just fine.
Hello! Did anyone read this?
This is not exactly correct.
Yes, the device will still work no matter what the polarity.
The Neutral, however, will be at the same voltage as ground. You could touch it while grounded and not get zapped.
L1 (hot) oscilates between +120 V and -120 V relative to the neutral. If you touch it while grounded, then you will get shocked.
L1 is supposed to be wired to a power switch incase the device shorts out internally, you will not be sending power to the chassis when it is turned off. If it shorts internally while turned on, then it will blow the breaker.
In this case, the AC power goes directly to the main board and to a DC power supply. The DC power supply is most likely energized all the time, and is switched on via a DC power button. In this case, it may not matter how you wire it.
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If you look at a lamp chord, then you will notice the insulation has a ridge along one of the wires. This helps you track the polarity of the wires. The ridge is supposed to go to the wider prong (Neutral). Check your chord for this ridge. If it is there, then you will know which wire is L1, and which one is Neutral.