Re-Wiring a lamp

[StarsFan4Life]

I really am not sure on something....and I have never actually done much wiring or re-wiring when it comes to electrical equipment. The wife has a lamp that had a short on the rotarty switch.

I went to Lowes and picked up a replacement 12' electrical cord and a new rotary switch. My question is, on the plug, which side is the "hot" side and which one is the "ground" (the plug going into the wall has one larger than the other).

With that said, the "socket" on the lamp has two connections (gold and silver). Which one is ground and which one is hot?

Now, on the rotary switch, which cable do I cut (I assume this doesn't matter as it cuts off the current either way right?)?

I am sorry if this is basic shit...but with us about to buy a new home....I want to start learning some of this stuff, no matter how basic.

Please help a noob electrician out...

 

[bctbct]

polarized plug is the nuetral.

hot is usually black or gold in color.

 

[StarsFan4Life]

This is a brown cord with one side blank...one side with writing on it. No white strip like normal...

 

[bctbct]

The small blade on the plug should be the hot and connected to the gold terminal.

btw I am not an electrician and I will delete my posts in 10 minutes in case you get shocked or your place burns down.

 

[StarsFan4Life]

Originally posted by: bctbct
The small blade on the plug should be the hot and connected to the gold terminal.

btw I am not an electrician and I will delete my posts in 10 minutes in case you get shocked or your place burns down.

Thats fucked up man....

 

[StarsFan4Life]

Anyone else?

 

[rudeguy]

Originally posted by: StarsFan4Life
This is a brown cord with one side blank...one side with writing on it. No white strip like normal...

In 12V, the side with writing is positive.

I will delete this post in 10 minutes in case your house burns down or incorrect wiring somehow signals a master alien race that its time to invade earth.

 

[jagec]

First off, it doesn't matter a whole lot. There is a small amount of additional safety if you wire it up "correctly", but it really isn't a big deal, it'll work either way. This is not true with all appliances, mind you.

Basically you want the smaller prong (hot) to be wired to the base of the lamp (bottom of the socket), whichever color that might be. This way the larger, more accessible outer metal part of the socket won't have live current if you accidentally jam a knife next to the base of the lit bulb with one hand while holding the kitchen faucet with your other.

 

[bctbct]

Originally posted by: StarsFan4Life
Anyone else?

damn, that hurt

 

[ComputerWizKid]

You want to switch the hot connection. and the neutral is the wide prong and the cord is USUALLY ribbed on the neutral side. The Neutral (The Ribbed wire) goes the the silver screw and the Hot goes to the brass colored screw
Just to let you know I'm Assuming you have a standard SPST (Single Pole Single Throw) rotary switch (One click on - one click off and then on again and then off ETC)

 

[StarsFan4Life]

Thanks for the help guys. All done.

 

[eplebnista]

Originally posted by: StarsFan4Life
Thanks for the help guys. All done.

:camera:'s?