reversed polarity on the outlet whats the danger?

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goldstar said:
I'm not sure I'm correct on this but I believe we (we here in the US) started polarizing plugs and receptacles many years ago and much of the reasoning had to do with TV's and other such appliances that are usually left "plugged in" at all times. If you stop and think about it, if the hot and neutral were reversed at the receptacle for say a TV, when you turned on that TV you would be switching on the neutral. The hot would be present inside the TV and its electronics at all times. I don't know much about the interworkings of TV's but if there is any fusing done inside the unit then you would be fusing the neutral and not the hot in this instance. In addition, there's always some potential for a shock hazard when the hot is present at all times.

Just my 2 cents worth.:)
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Some of the older record players, radios and some TV's in the 50's had hot frames, leathel suckers, and they were sold at many larger department stores, so there were plenty of them out there.
 
Is no neutral end

Is no neutral end

I leave too much out.
If you wind a coil on a core, I had the impression that manufacturers assign the neutral terminal to those winding turns closest to the grounded core. That way the winding insulation isn't stressed as much by the applied voltage, since the voltage between neutral and ground is probably < 500 mV.
I guess if you put the hot side of the line on these innermost turns you'll shorten the life of the coil. This reduced lifespan is probably only noticeable to a manufacturer who has thousands of units in the field.
The lifespan of many things is halved by a 10C rise in temp, because many chemical reactions double their speed for each 10C increase, and so there must other formulas for shortened lifespan due to the stress of voltage, temperature cycling, vibration, etc., but I dunno' what they are.
It's all on the Internet, somewhere. . .
 
zappy said:
if you have the hot on the wrong side of the outlet and the appliances still work what is the danger?
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Just because it works doesn't mean it's safe. The only danger I'm aware of is electrocution. If that's not important to you, reconsider your career choice.

Dave
 
Tiger Electrical said:
Just because it works doesn't mean it's safe. The only danger I'm aware of is electrocution. If that's not important to you, reconsider your career choice.

Dave
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Why would an electric shock, burn or subsequent injury not be a possible result?
 
The paper mill I used to work at experienced only one death until recently and that was the result of a guy grabbing "hot" threads on a light bulb.
 
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