[Tomy2Tone]

I had some Emotiva power cables from a few years back that I was going to use on some audio stuff at work but one of the plugs was damaged so I decided to replace it. The cable wire had a red a white and green so common sense told me red was hot or line and white was neutral and green was ground. I opened the male plug and the wires were hooked the way thought they were to be with red going to L and white going N with green going to ground.

When I opened the iec plug the red was going to neutral and white was going to line. Which made me wonder why and was this a mistake on this particular cable. I had a few more Emotiva cables and proceeded to check the iec plug and they were all wired with the red going to neutral and white going to line. For what reason would they switch the red and white wires at the iec plug end?

Then.....I decided to open a pair of cables I had a guy make for me a few years back with some Furutech wire and gaofel connectors. This time the wires were black, white, and green. So I figured the black must hot or line and white was neutral and green was ground. Well, at both the male prong plug and the iec plug the black was connected to the ground and the green was connected to the line. I can't figure out why unless he was just clueless.

A couple of other power cables from different brands/makers actually had the black/red going to line on both iec and male plug ends which is what I thought was supposed to be the case.

Any reasons/ideas why Emotiva had the red going to neutral and white going to line on the iec plug?

[DaveC113]

Different countries may have different colors. In the US Line is black and red, neutral is white and ground is bare or green.

[Tomy2Tone]

Different countries may have different colors. In the US Line is black and red, neutral is white and ground is bare or green.

So on your cables, are you connecting the line wire to the indicated line connection on the male plug and then on the iec plug connecting the neutral wire into the indicated line connection? Because that what the Emotiva cables are doing.

[DaveC113]

So on your cables, are you connecting the line wire to the indicated line connection on the male plug and then on the iec plug connecting the neutral wire into the indicated line connection? Because that what the Emotiva cables are doing.

Ah, didn't catch that. Still drinking coffee   I do not reverse line and neutral, no.

[Tomy2Tone]

So apparently it doesn't matter, just wonder why manufacturers bother putting indicators on the back of the plugs if line can go into line on one end of the cable and then line can go into neutral on the other end and it works just fine.

Is there a tool that can test wire to see if it's hot or neutral? Would like to know if the Furutech green wire is actually the hot and the black is actually the ground...

[jea48]

I had some Emotiva power cables from a few years back that I was going to use on some audio stuff at work but one of the plugs was damaged so I decided to replace it. The cable wire had a red a white and green so common sense told me red was hot or line and white was neutral and green was ground. I opened the male plug and the wires were hooked the way thought they were to be with red going to L and white going N with green going to ground.

When I opened the iec plug the red was going to neutral and white was going to line. Which made me wonder why and was this a mistake on this particular cable. I had a few more Emotiva cables and proceeded to check the iec plug and they were all wired with the red going to neutral and white going to line. For what reason would they switch the red and white wires at the iec plug end?

Then.....I decided to open a pair of cables I had a guy make for me a few years back with some Furutech wire and gaofel connectors. This time the wires were black, white, and green. So I figured the black must hot or line and white was neutral and green was ground. Well, at both the male prong plug and the iec plug the black was connected to the ground and the green was connected to the line. I can't figure out why unless he was just clueless.

A couple of other power cables from different brands/makers actually had the black/red going to line on both iec and male plug ends which is what I thought was supposed to be the case.

Any reasons/ideas why Emotiva had the red going to neutral and white going to line on the iec plug?

Well, at both the male prong plug and the iec plug the black was connected to the ground and the green was connected to the line. I can't figure out why unless he was just clueless.

My guess the guy that made up the power cords is color blind.

The cable wire had a red a white and green so common sense told me red was hot or line and white was neutral and green was ground. I opened the male plug and the wires were hooked the way thought they were to be with red going to L and white going N with green going to ground.

 When I opened the iec plug the red was going to neutral and white was going to line. Which made me wonder why and was this a mistake on this particular cable. I had a few more Emotiva cables and proceeded to check the iec plug and they were all wired with the red going to neutral and white going to line.

That's why anytime I buy an aftermarket power cord I always use a meter to check for the correct wiring polarity of the plug to IEC connector.

When they are reversed it is usually at the IEC connector.


I have often wondered why the guy that invented the IEC connector system, and subsequently set the wiring standard for the connector, chose to reverse the, his, IEC standard from that of wiring standard of the NEMA standard here in North America.

If you look at an extension cord sold here in the US and Canada you will find the wiring connection runs straight through from the male plug to the female receptacle cord cap.

For the correct IEC wiring connection the hot and neutral conductors are reversed with respect to the NEMA male plug.

Check it for yourself with a meter.

[Tomy2Tone]

For the correct IEC wiring connection the hot and neutral conductors are reversed with respect to the NEMA male plug.

So one of the other brand cables I had laying actually had the line going to line and neutral going to neutral on both the male plug and iec plug much like Dave's cables. If this orientation is wrong but still works what's the advantage or difference?

Check it for yourself with a meter.

Simple multimeter can do it?

[jea48]

So apparently it doesn't matter, just wonder why manufacturers bother putting indicators on the back of the plugs if line can go into line on one end of the cable and then line can go into neutral on the other end and it works just fine.

It does matter.  Proper AC polarity orientation is very important. When reversed it can cause buzz and hum heard from an audio system.

Is there a tool that can test wire to see if it's hot or neutral? Would like to know if the Furutech green wire is actually the hot and the black is actually the ground...

Yes, a multimeter. You can check for continuity from the plug to the female IEC connector.
http://www.stayonline.com/reference-iec320.aspx

It should match that of a mass produced power cord, such as the OEM cord that came with the piece of audio equipment. Or an OEM power cord that came with a personal computer.

Worth noting, those power cords you spoke of in your original post that were wired incorrectly were not Listed power cords. Listed? Example UL Listed.

[DaveC113]

Doesn't matter so much if they are UL listed if they are manufactured wrong!      I've seen "UL Listed" AC power adapters for phones, etc. that were incredibly poorly made and very dangerous as far as both shock and fire risk. UL may approve a design but the manufacturing quality still needs to be maintained!

On some devices polarity won't matter, with others it can make a difference. Multimeter is useful for checking, they also sell cheap plug-in meters that'll tell you if other things are wrong with wiring for the receptacles in your house, it wouldn't hurt to make sure both receptacles and power cables are wired correctly.

 

[jea48]

So one of the other brand cables I had laying actually had the line going to line and neutral going to neutral on both the male plug and iec plug much like Dave's cables. If this orientation is wrong but still works what's the advantage or difference?

Simple multimeter can do it?

That is the correct wiring configuration. The IEC female connector must be wired per the guy that invented the IEC connectors. He set the wiring standards how they are to be wired. He owns it.

The female IEC connector plugs into the male inlet connector on the back of the piece of audio equipment. If wired correctly, the neutral contact on the IEC inlet connector connects to one of the leads of the primary winding of the power transformer. The Hot contact (Line) of the IEC inlet connector connects to the line side of the AC protection fuse.

[jea48]

Doesn't matter so much if they are UL listed if they are manufactured wrong!

To date I have not ran across a mass produced OEM power cord that came with a piece of audio equipment that was wire wrong. Have you?

[mikeeastman]

Just put a meter on my Triode power cables and the L and N are reversed. I wounded if that is why I get a buzz in my amps that use the Triode cables, the buzz only occurs when I run my generator, its' power  is not as clean as my inverter.

[Tomy2Tone]

Just put a meter on my Triode power cables and the L and N are reversed. I wounded if that is why I get a buzz in my amps that use the Triode cables, the buzz only occurs when I run my generator, its' power  is not as clean as my inverter.

Interesting....

My roommate has a multimeter but apparently keeps it under lock and key because I can't find it at the moment. Hopefully later to day I'll find out what polarity I got on the Furutech cable.

[Davey]

Just put a meter on my Triode power cables and the L and N are reversed. I wounded if that is why I get a buzz in my amps that use the Triode cables, the buzz only occurs when I run my generator, its' power  is not as clean as my inverter.

If so, I would return them and get my money back immediately.
I suspect, however, that you measured them incorrectly and/or were confused by the polarity convention.

Dave.

[mikeeastman]

I connect red meter lead to the N on the IEC end and the black lead to the red wire on the cable and it show I had a connection when I move the black to the L on the end no connection.

[jea48]

I connect red meter lead to the N on the IEC end and the black lead to the red wire on the cable and it show I had a connection when I move the black to the L on the end no connection.

Try this simple test.

Set meter to continuity.

Facing the connectors.

Place the female IEC connector on top of the male plug with both of the equipment ground contacts down.
 (IEC on top of the male plug both grounds down. Contacts/blades facing you.)

Insert one test lead probe in the left side contact hole of the IEC.
 Touch the other test lead probe to the left side blade of the plug. You should measure continuity. These are the Hot contacts of each connector.

Next insert one of the probes in the right side contact of the IEC connector.
Touch the other probe to the right hand blade of the plug. You should measure continuity. These are the neutral contacts of the Connectors.

Last test is for equipment ground continuity.
Insert one probe into the equipment ground contact hole of the IEC connector.
Touch the other probe to the ground pin on the male plug. You should measure continuity.

If all conditions are met above the power cord connectors are wired correctly. 

[mikeeastman]

That's what I did except I don't have male ends, that end is hard wired in a junction box on a dedicated circuit.

[mikeeastman]

UH-OH  I recheck using voltage and the Triode cables are wired right, sorry

[Davey]

Whatever you do from now on, I suggest you be VERY CAREFUL.  Making continuity checks on a live circuit (if it was indeed live) is not something you should be doing. 
I suggest to have an electrician friend come over and do the probing if you need further assistance.

My goodness.

Dave.