Lamp power cords are usually single-color paired wire (white, brown, etc). Look at the wire carefully. One side will have ribs on it and the other side will be smooth and will probably have markings on it. The smooth side is hot and the ribbed side is neutral.
Typically, home wiring doesn't generate any noise because proper connections don't leave space for extra currents to escape. However, when a fixture is hooked up incorrectly or the wires are damaged in some way, you may hear a buzzing or humming sound as the electricity moves between the light and the wall.
As one person indicated, if using traditional lamp wire, one side is ribbed and the other is smooth. Ribbed is the neutral (negative) side and smooth is the line (positive).
If you happen to connect the wrong wires on a light fixture, it can cause a short circuit.
If wired correctly, there will be no power to the fixture unless the switch is on. If wired backwards, there will be voltage (but no current) to the fixture, until the switch is on.
What do the Different Color Wires Mean? Here's a rundown of electrical wires: The black wire is the "hot" wire, it carries the electricity from the breaker panel into the switch or light source. The white wire is the "neutral" wire, it takes any unused electricity and current and sends it back to the breaker panel.
You can rewire a lamp easily by yourself. The process is simple and requires you to cut the old cord from the root and replace it with a new one. The replacement process shouldn't take long.
If the hot and neutral wires share the same color, you can distinguish which lamp wire is hot or neutral by its texture. Hot wires typically have a smooth and plain surface, while neutral wires are characterized by their ridged and lined texture. However, the structure of the wires can vary based on the manufacturer.
In short, reversed polarity on a light fixture means it's easier to receive a dangerous electrical shock by touching the shell of the bulb socket or even the side of the bulb itself while screwing in a new light bulb.
It can also cause fire if the reverse polarity goes undetected and damages wires or components that lead to sparks, which in turn causes a fire. And the worst is still yet to come, if you keep your outlet reversed you are increasing the potentials of electrical shocks.
The most common reason why a lamp won't turn on is that the light bulb has burned out. This is an easy problem to fix as all you need to do is replace the bulb.
It doesn't matter which way around; it only matters that L1 and L2 go to one switch and the others go to the other switch.
What happens if you rewire a lamp incorrectly? Incorrect wiring can lead to electrical hazards, including short circuits, potential fires, or damage to the lamp itself. It's crucial to ensure connections are correct and secure before using the lamp.
But can you do your own electrical work—both legally and from the standpoint of your own set of skills? You can usually do your own electrical work as long as it is done for yourself, not commercially. Other conditions may apply, too. You may need to show a house deed to prove that you are the owner.
Set the multimeter to the “resistance” setting, and then touch the probes to the two terminals on each socket. The multimeter should read infinity if the circuit is open, or zero if the circuit is closed. If you get a reading somewhere in between, then there is a problem with the circuit.
Check that the fixture is plugged in, put in a new bulb, see if a circuit breaker tripped. These are basic troubleshooting steps that don't require calling an electrician. But there may be a deeper electrical issue behind the failed light—you may have a failed light fixture, bad wiring, a broken switch.
If phase and neutral leads are swapped upstream, only the neutral circuit will be opened by overload while the phase wire remains energized. This can be a shock hazard if an unsuspecting person opens the device and starts troubleshooting.
Fixture wires must be connected to the appropriate house wires. The black fixture wire must connect to the black (power) house wire and the white fixture wire must connect to the white (neutral) house wire. (if your fixture has lamp cord wire the distinction is made by texture rather than color.