Customers ask me all the time how I know the “hot” from the “neutral” on lamp cords and chandeliers. A Lamp cord is a small oval-shaped cable that may come in clear, white, brown, and among other colors. It has two conductors and it is difficult to tell which one connects where. When installing a chandelier, the house wiring is usually color-coded and you know the black is hot and the white is the neutral. However, the lamp cord on the fixture itself looks the same. The trick to knowing which one connects to the white wire, it’s to use your fingernail. If you rub the side of your fingernail against the cord, one side has little ridges, while the other one is smooth. It is almost impossible to see, but you can feel it. The one with the ridges is the neutral and connects to the white. The smooth one is the hot and connects to the black wire. knowing this little fact will help you maintain correct polarity in chandeliers and lamps.
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