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Is red always hot and black ground?


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geaux 
Member - Posts: 19
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Joined: October 31, 2005
Location: United States
Posted: January 23, 2006 at 12:55 PM / IP Logged  
Are these statements always true?
A 12 guage wire that is RED without any strips is HOT + . It will be hot even without the car turned on.
A 12 guage wire that is BLACK without any strips is GROUND -.
He is mad, mad I tell you!
sk8ingsmurf 
Copper - Posts: 198
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Joined: March 18, 2004
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Posted: January 23, 2006 at 1:48 PM / IP Logged  

Unless somebody messed with the wiring factory wiring is always black=ground, and you could sorta say red is hot.  From the battery yes red is hot, but on a deck red is switched 12v (yellow is hot in this case).

fingaz22 
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Posted: January 23, 2006 at 1:49 PM / IP Logged  

no not always true. exspeacily in a vechile wiring harness. always double check your wires before you commit to anything!!!

in most instances they will be in that gauge wire. but always beware.

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the12volt 
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Posted: January 23, 2006 at 1:55 PM / IP Logged  
No, black is not always ground and red is not always "hot",  with or without stripes.
Is red always hot  and black ground? -- posted image. the12volt • Support the12volt.com
godblessdremil 
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Posted: January 23, 2006 at 2:21 PM / IP Logged  
For a component bieng added like a remote start that is usually true. But in factory wiring in the car no, infact its usually wrong.
kgerry 
Platinum - Posts: 3,455
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Joined: February 07, 2004
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Posted: January 23, 2006 at 2:31 PM / IP Logged  
THE THICK RED WIRE GOING TO FORD RADIOS IS THE GROUND....
Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer
Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979
geaux 
Member - Posts: 19
Member spacespace
Joined: October 31, 2005
Location: United States
Posted: January 23, 2006 at 2:32 PM / IP Logged  
Okay I can understand that sometimes wires of different colors can be positive (12V+) or ground but has anyone ever seen an instance of a solid red wire not being hot and a solid black wire not being ground?
My car is an 1997 ford. Assume that nobody has messed with the factory wiring.
He is mad, mad I tell you!
gus1 
Gold - Posts: 1,013
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Joined: October 15, 2003
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Posted: January 23, 2006 at 2:33 PM / IP Logged  
Dammit Kevin... you beat me to it.
Then, there are things that use white for ground.... orange for 12V.....
A DMM is your best friend.
Gus
Wherever I go, that is where I end up......
geaux 
Member - Posts: 19
Member spacespace
Joined: October 31, 2005
Location: United States
Posted: January 23, 2006 at 2:35 PM / IP Logged  
I guess kgerry answers that question. Moral of the story is to check first.
While I am being on an idiot roll let me continue. I can use a test light probe to see if a wire is positive. Stick the probe to the wire and it will light up if it is hot? How can tell if a wire is a ground?
He is mad, mad I tell you!
kgerry 
Platinum - Posts: 3,455
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Joined: February 07, 2004
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Posted: January 23, 2006 at 3:31 PM / IP Logged  

first by throwing your test light in the garbage and getting a meter....

then doing the exact opposite with the meter when testing for a negative.... apply 12 volts to the positive lead and probe with the negative lead....

Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer
Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979
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