In a correctly wired outlet, electricity will flow to the switch; with reversed polarity, it will be present in the item itself even when it is not turned on. In either case, the item will not function until the switch is flipped to close the circuit.

Does it matter if hot and neutral are reversed?

This happens when the hot and neutral wires get flipped around at an outlet, or upstream from an outlet. Reversed polarity creates a potential shock hazard, but its usually an easy repair. This wire is commonly referred to as the neutral wire, and it should always be white.

Can I reverse an electrical outlet?

Reverse polarity can result in being shocked under a few conditions and may result in damage to an electronic device. In most case you can plug a fan or light into an outlet that has reversed polarity and it works, however, correcting the wiring on an outlet that has reversed polarity is still recommended.

Does it matter which white wire goes where on an outlet?

White (neutral) goes on the side allocated for the larger prong. Black (Hot) goes on the smaller prong side or white to silver screws, black to gold screws.

What happens if an outlet has reverse polarity?

An outlet with reverse polarity can cause some items to be electrically charged at all times. In a correctly wired outlet, electricity will flow to the switch; with reversed polarity, it will be present in the item itself even when it is not turned on.

How can I tell if my outlet is wired backwards?

Inside an outlets electrical box, the black (hot) wire should be connected to the brass-colored terminal on the outlet. The white (neutral) wire should be connected to the silver-colored terminal. If these connections are backward, the polarity is wrong.

What happens if you switch white and black wires?

If you see both sides connected together, it means its a switch loop. The white wire thats connected to the black wire carries power to the switch. And the black wire thats in the same cable carries back that switched power to the outlet.

Does it matter if black and white wires are reversed?

When the wires are connected properly at the electrical panel and terminated correctly at the receptacle, all is fine. If the white and black wires get swapped somewhere along the way, trouble may be right around the corner.