Identifying Positive & Negative Wires: Colors & Power Types

When you're dealing with electrical wiring, it's important to know which is positive and which is negative—but how are you supposed to tell them apart? The easiest way to tell is by looking at the color, but the colors mean different things depending on what kind of power is being used. Don't worry, it's not as confusing as it sounds! With help from professional electricians Ricardo Mitchell and James Hornof, we're going to explain everything you need to know so you can correctly identify positive and negative electrical wires, no matter what you're working on.

Which wire colors are positive or negative?

According to master electrician James Hornof, for DC power, the red wire is generally positive and the black wire is usually negative.
For AC power, the black wire is the phase 1 hot wire, which means it's positive. The red wire is a phase 2 hot wire, and the white wire is neutral.
For exposed wire, the copper strands are positive and the silver are neutral.

1

Wire Colors for DC Power

Download Article

DC (direct current) powered devices usually have 2-3 electrical wires. DC power is common in batteries, solar cells, fuel cells , and small electronics. It’s called “direct current” because the electrical current only flows in 1 direction. ^{[1]
X
Research source} Here’s how to tell the wire colors apart:
- The red wire is generally positive , according to Hornof. ^{[2]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  James Hornof
  Master Electrician
  
  Expert Interview. 11 Jan 2023.}
- The black wire is generally negative , continues Hornof. ^{[3]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  James Hornof
  Master Electrician
  
  Expert Interview. 11 Jan 2023.}
- The white wire (if present) is ground (sometimes called neutral in DC).
  - If both wires are black but one has a white stripe, the striped wire is negative, while the plain black wire is positive.

2

Wire Colors for AC Power

Download Article

AC (alternating current) power usually has 3 or more electrical wires. AC power is what comes out of power outlets and ceiling light fixtures in standard home and office settings in the United States. ^{[4]
X
Research source} Typically, AC power handles currents of 120, 208, or 240 volts. ^{[5]
X
Research source} This type of wiring has multiple phases in place, but here's what you need to know:
- The black wire is a phase 1 “hot” wire, which means it’s a positive or live wire. This wire usually runs to the electrical outlet from the switch.
- The red wire is a phase 2 “hot” wire, which means it’s also a live or positive wire (but the black is the primary positive wire).
- The blue wire (if present) is a phase 3 “hot” wire.
- The white wire is neutral . “White wires are usually the neutral wires that carry the load back to the source,” explains Hornof. ^{[6]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  James Hornof
  Master Electrician
  
  Expert Interview. 11 Jan 2023.} Neutral is distinct from ground in AC wiring.
- The green wire (if present) is the ground wire.

3

Speaker Wiring

Download Article

On a standard wire used for things like speakers and amps, the silver strand is the negative wire and the copper-colored strand is the positive wire . These wires are often held together by a clear casing, but you can see through that (or look at the exposed wiring on the end). ^{[7]
X
Research source}

4

Appliance Plugs or Power Cords

Download Article

Power cords have hot and neutral wires rather than positive or negative. You don’t necessarily have to inspect the wire colors to tell these apart. For modern 2-strand appliance cords with 2-prong plugs, the longer prong connects to the neutral wire. ^{[8]
X
Research source} If you're looking at exposed wires:
- The neutral wire is identified by a white stripe, ribbing or white insulation .
- The hot (live) wire has no ribbing or stripe ; it may have black or red insulation.
- If the cord has a green wire (rare), it’s a ground wire.

5

Extension Cords

Download Article

For extension cords, the ribbed wire is usually the negative wire. If you have a wire where both sides are the same color, which is typically copper, the strand that has a grooved texture is the negative wire. Run your fingers along the wire to determine which side has the ribbing. ^{[9]
X
Research source}
- The smooth wire is the positive wire.

6

Testing with a Multimeter

Download Article

If all else fails, use a digital multimeter to figure out which wire is which. The multimeter will have 2 leads with small alligator clips on the end. Attach 1 lead to each wire. Clip the small alligator clip on the red lead to the end of 1 wire and the clip on the black lead to the end of the other, instructs Mitchell. Look at the reading on the screen—you'll see a number and either a + or – sign. “Whichever one of the wires reads as voltage” is the positive one that has power, says Mitchell. ^{[10]
X
Expert Source

Ricardo Mitchell
Electrician

Expert Interview. 6 May 2020.}
- The number is the voltage reading.
- The + indicates positive current.
- The – indicates negative current.

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

If two wires are black, how can I tell which is negative and which is positive?

Ricardo Mitchell
Electrician & Construction Professional, CN Coterie
Ricardo Mitchell is the CEO of CN Coterie, a fully licensed and insured Lead EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Certified construction company located in Manhattan, New York. CN Coterie specializes in full home renovation, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, cabinetry, furniture restoration, OATH/ECB (Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings/Environmental Control Board) violations removal, and DOB (Department of Buildings) violations removal. Ricardo has over 10 years of electrical and construction experience and his partners have over 30 years of relevant experience.

Ricardo Mitchell

Electrician & Construction Professional, CN Coterie

Expert Answer

Use a multimeter to test each one. Put the red side on the terminal to one black wire and the black side of the terminal to the other wire. If the tester shows voltage, the wire touching the red terminal is the one that has power.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 173 Helpful 142

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

The electrical wiring colors and standards in this article are for the United States. Colors and standards vary in other countries.

Thanks
Helpful 26 Not Helpful 10
Live wires are dangerous. It's best to shut down the circuit breaker or power down and unplug devices before touching the wiring to prevent electrical shock. ^{[11]
X
Trustworthy Source
Consumer Products Safety Commission
Independent U.S. government agency responsible for protecting consumers by developing safety standards and conducting product research
Go to source}

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

[1]

[2]

Expert Source

James Hornof
Master Electrician

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

Ricardo Mitchell
Electrician

[11]

Go to source

Log in

Identifying Positive & Negative Wires: Colors & Power Types

Which wire colors are positive or negative?

Steps

Wire Colors for DC Power

Wire Colors for AC Power

Speaker Wiring

Appliance Plugs or Power Cords

Extension Cords

Testing with a Multimeter

Expert Q&A

Tips

Warnings

You Might Also Like

References

About This Article

Reader Success Stories

Did this article help you?

Quizzes

You Might Also Like

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Featured Articles

Featured Articles

Watch Articles

Trending Articles

Quizzes

Explore Categories