[sdiy] iec connector confusion

[Dave Manley]

Graham Atkins wrote:
> According to this the "white" wire is both the earth and the neutral ?. 
> Are you
> sure this is accurate ?
> 

On a modern three-wire 120VAC circuit in the US, the earth wire is green 
(it is sometimes bare wire - no insulation, and sometimes green/yellow 
stripe). Black is hot(remember to touch black=death :-), white is 
neutral, and at the circuit breaker panel white and green are connected 
together on a bus bar and then to earth.

On a 240V circuit two hot phases are delivered, typically black and red, 
along with the white neutral, and the green earth.

In older wiring (not up to current building codes) it is common to have 
only two wires with no green/earth.  The outlets/plugs are also 
typically unpolarized in these older installations.

-Dave