Black To Brass....does It Really Matter?

handyman99

I was working on a job on changing out some outlets. I noticed that half of the outlets were black to brass and half were not. (I independently checked the black and it was the hot wire, while the white was the neutral.) Does it really matter? I have always done black(hot wire) to brass in my past. So when I got this job I was surprised it worked for all these years. The owner of this house said that the electrical hasn't been touched for over 20 years and he never had a problem.

Tom Struble

think it has something to do with having the proper phase when you plug something in

a sparky should be here soon to yell at you, hang in there and good luck

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Tom

480sparky

I would reply, but given your track record of telling us we're all full of shît anyway, I won't bother.

Go ask your landlord. He's an Electrical God.

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Site : the area or exact plot of ground on which anything is, has been, or is to be located.
Sight : The power or faculty of seeing; perception of objects by use of the eyes; vision.
Cite : To mention in support, proof, or confirmation; refer to as an example.

Leo G

As long as the brass is connected to the smaller slot on the outlet then it is correct. If both screws are silver are you gonna be lost?

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JumboJack

I can not believe this guy is back!

He has asked two of the most basic electrical questions as if they where ohms law in Chinese...

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in texas with framing and cornish people will do it for 3.00 a foot. What do yall think about that? Just laber

480sparky

Next, he'll tell us the paperboy says it's OK to put AWG14 on a 60 amp breaker.

After that, we'll find out we can use speaker wire for service entrances.

Then he'll 'educate' us about not needing boxes for switches and receptacles.

Oh, and if you flip asphalt shingles over, they'll last 100 years.

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Site : the area or exact plot of ground on which anything is, has been, or is to be located.
Sight : The power or faculty of seeing; perception of objects by use of the eyes; vision.
Cite : To mention in support, proof, or confirmation; refer to as an example.

mccarty.74

Why do you electricians get all the luck? Rarely does somebody post something so mind-numbingly idiotic on the framing section. This is the second time this week for this guy. I guarantee he's one of your cohorts just ****in with you guys. Nobody can be that stupid and immune to verbal abuse.

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What would you say...ya do here?

mccarty.74

I just ran a stove today on 14. It didn't trip so what in the hell are you talking about? Elitist snob!

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What would you say...ya do here?

handyman99

I don't take the idiot reply's personal. I'm here for business. I mean I changed 30 outlets at $25.00 buck each, so I made good money. I'm only posting because I was wondering was I wasting my time making sure the "black was to the brass." I'm guessing it doesn't really matter. It's probably just some stupid thing some electrician made up.

480sparky

Because you have a penny in the fuse box. Now, I'll have you know that pennies DO HAVE a rated ampacity. AND, it's on each and every penny in your pocket.

That's right..... the ampacity of a penny is listed right on the penny. Courtesy of the United States Mint.

Where is it? Why, look right above Lincolns head.

I'm serious. It's there.

Go look for yourself.



























































See? I told you it was!

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Site : the area or exact plot of ground on which anything is, has been, or is to be located.
Sight : The power or faculty of seeing; perception of objects by use of the eyes; vision.
Cite : To mention in support, proof, or confirmation; refer to as an example.

JumboJack

I'm calling BS on this....

NO ONE is going to pay a handyman that does not know the most BASIC things about electricity that much...NO way no how.....

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in texas with framing and cornish people will do it for 3.00 a foot. What do yall think about that? Just laber

mccarty.74

You gave yourself away there. But **** you had half the forum going for a while. If I had to venture a guess I'd say J F in retaliation? Not to mention you used the handle handyman...anything which is a toxic word around here. Could be 480sparky or Magnettica but somebody is taking us for a ride. DICK!

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What would you say...ya do here?

JumboJack

It's prolly not 480..He is telling the guy off...That would just be weird.

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in texas with framing and cornish people will do it for 3.00 a foot. What do yall think about that? Just laber

mccarty.74

I misspoke. I ran that stove, two can lights and three outlets on that circuit. If you give me the ok I might be able to throw the microwave and air-conditioner on the same breaker. Can I do that? Or should I get one of those 2 breakers in one thingy's?

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What would you say...ya do here?

JumboJack

Gotta be someone messing with us.... BASTARD!

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in texas with framing and cornish people will do it for 3.00 a foot. What do yall think about that? Just laber

mccarty.74

Jack, handyman 99 is full of **** for sure. Nobody is that insistent on being humiliated. But 480 is my lead suspect right now. If you've got evidence that points otherwise you need to be forthcoming.

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What would you say...ya do here?

mccarty.74

No, Magnettica just surfaced for the first time in a few days. 480 has been exonerated. It's Magnettica.

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What would you say...ya do here?

JumboJack

Get a rope!

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in texas with framing and cornish people will do it for 3.00 a foot. What do yall think about that? Just laber

mccarty.74

We'll hang 'em both just to be sure we're rid of the problem.

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What would you say...ya do here?

handyman99

It's funny because I don't want to paid doing electrical. I hate doing electrical. I specialize in plumbing. I've been shocked enough times. It's strange because every electrical job I get, I never want to accept the job. However, my customer like me because I'm very honest. The funny thing is most of them don't like electrician because they are not honest. An example is like the guy that hired me to change the the outlets, he first tried to hire an electrician. However, the electrician insisted that the whole house had to be rewired. When he told the electrician he didn't want the whole house rewired, the electrician told him that he was risking electrical fire and tried to scare him. The electrician still charged him $75.00 for a service charge and he didn't even do anything.

That's not the point anyway. So is it true.... since nobody can confirm that black is really to brass. That's what I though. Next time I change outlets, I'm just going to make whatever looks easier. I know that ground needs to stay with ground. That's obvious. However, the hot and neutral probably doesn't matter. Not unless somebody can really confirm and tell me why it matters.