120 VAC socket and switching question

[Sparky_]

Greetings –

I have 5 (somewhat related) questions –

1) Regarding the AC “socket” with the male pins that are on the back of most monitors and PCs – which pin is the hot and which is the neutral?

2) I could plug an AC cord up to the socket and if I do this – on a standard male plug that plugs into a wall outlet which of those 2 pins are the hot and neutral?

3) essentially the same question as 2) on an AC plug that plugs into the wall that has 1 pin that is slightly wider than the one beside it (that won’t plug into the female side of Christmas lights  ) is the slightly wider pin the hot?

4) How do I call out the simple AC socket found in the back of monitors and pcs? I have searched digi-key and thus far the closest I’ve found is a module with the socket but also with a switch and fuse for around 8 to 9 dollars. I would like the simple socket for cheap.

5) If switching something on 120 VAC household wiring – light bulb for example – would you switch the hot or the neutral? I’m guessing the hot.

Thanks
Sparky

 

[berkeman]

Greetings –

I have 5 (somewhat related) questions –

1) Regarding the AC “socket” with the male pins that are on the back of most monitors and PCs – which pin is the hot and which is the neutral?

2) I could plug an AC cord up to the socket and if I do this – on a standard male plug that plugs into a wall outlet which of those 2 pins are the hot and neutral?

3) essentially the same question as 2) on an AC plug that plugs into the wall that has 1 pin that is slightly wider than the one beside it (that won’t plug into the female side of Christmas lights  ) is the slightly wider pin the hot?

4) How do I call out the simple AC socket found in the back of monitors and pcs? I have searched digi-key and thus far the closest I’ve found is a module with the socket but also with a switch and fuse for around 8 to 9 dollars. I would like the simple socket for cheap.

5) If switching something on 120 VAC household wiring – light bulb for example – would you switch the hot or the neutral? I’m guessing the hot.

Thanks
Sparky

It's called an IEC 320 socket module:

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&...cket+module&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

On the standard 3-prong AC socket (the female, like on a power strip), the narrower hole is the Hot, and the wider hole is the Neutral. If you look at the socket and it looks like a face looking at you, the face's right eye is the wider Neutral, the face's left eye is the narrower Hot, and the mouth is the ground hole.

I'm not sure how this translates to the IEC 320 socket module, but you can beep out a 3-prong power cord (that ends in the female IEC 320 connector) to be sure. You may be able to find the Hot/Neutral spec in the IEC 320 socket module datasheets as well.

 

[Sparky_]

Thanks

Yes I can buzz out the socket with a cable plugged up to it.

(I guessed wrong - I guessed the wider would be the hot.)

Thanks for the part number also!

 

[sparkey]

if the socket you get has screw terminals, a common way makers distinguish hot and neutral is different colored terminals. the hot will be darker than the neutral (usually copper finish vs aluminum finish). if not i would just wire it so that if you are looking at it head on with the ground (middle offset prong) down, the hot on the left and neutral on the right (inverse of your wall outlet).

 

[Sparky_]

Regarding which to switch -

would you switch the neutral or the hot - say through a relay going to a light bulb?

Thanks again

 

[dlgoff]

The wide terminal is the neutral. And you always want to switch the hot leg which removes the power completely from the circuit.

 

[sophiecentaur]

Also, the live leg should be the fused one, for the same reason.

 

[Sparky_]

The wide terminal is the neutral. And you always want to switch the hot leg which removes the power completely from the circuit.

Thanks!

(sort of what I thought but wanted to be sure). I have nto done many household wiring projects.

This is not for the house - I have a little embedded project where I will have a 120 VAC light bulb turn on and off as a demonstration.

Thanks again - very helpful

 

[berkeman]

Thanks

Yes I can buzz out the socket with a cable plugged up to it.

(I guessed wrong - I guessed the wider would be the hot.)

Thanks for the part number also!

if the socket you get has screw terminals, a common way makers distinguish hot and neutral is different colored terminals. the hot will be darker than the neutral (usually copper finish vs aluminum finish). if not i would just wire it so that if you are looking at it head on with the ground (middle offset prong) down, the hot on the left and neutral on the right (inverse of your wall outlet).

Yikes! We have two Sparkys!

 

[sparkey]

its an invasion, look out!

 

[Sparky_]

its an invasion, look out!

:)

You will be assimilated

Resistance is futile –

(unless it’s less then 1 ohm)

Thanks again for the advice