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porphyriax · Apr 25, 2009, 07:27 AM

I went to install my air conditioners today and turns out one got it's plug smashed. I bought a new plug end and cut off the old one. However, when I strip the outer insulation off the old wire coming out of the air conditioner, the wires inside have no color coded insulation.

So, there are 3 wires - one ground (which has green insulation), and then the two other bare copper wires with no insulation - I was expecting one to be black and the other white.

My question is, when I install the new plug how do I know which terminal to attach the old wires to? The new plug is labelled for hot and nuetral but I don't know which is which on my old wire.

Thanks for you help,
Mike

Stratmando · Apr 25, 2009, 07:38 AM

I would strip insulation back a couple of inches, A bare hot and neutral will not be in contact with each other.
Then use continuity of old plug to determine which is which, If still nothing, And Able to open ac and see which is hot and which is neutral, then ohm or tone it out to end of wire.

tkrussell · Apr 25, 2009, 07:54 AM

Sounds like you stripped the cord, a flat cord, with a green wire covered by the same insulation covering the two outer wires, and neither are colored.

If so,

On the outside of the cord, one of the outer wires will have ribs or notches in the insulation. This identifies that conductor as the white neutral.

That conductor gets connected to the silver colored screw or terminal found in the male plug, leaving a green terminal for the green wire, and the remaining wire of the cord connecting to the brass screw or terminal of the plug.

This also assumes the unit is 120 volts.

stanfortyman · Apr 25, 2009, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by tkrussell

Sounds like you stripped the cord, a flat cord, with a green wire covered by the same insulation covering the two outer wires, and neither are colored.

If so,

On the outside of the cord, one of the outer wires will have ribs or notches in the insulation. This identifies that conductor as the white neutral.

That conductor gets connected to the silver colored screw or terminal found in the male plug, leaving a green terminal for the green wire, and the remaining wire of the cord connecting to the brass screw or terminal of the plug.

This also assumes the unit is 120 volts.

Exactly. That's how I read it.
Most A/C units do come with a flat cord.

ballengerb1 · Apr 25, 2009, 09:08 AM

Mike, can you describe your outlet or the plug. We need to know if this is 120 or 240.

porphyriax · Apr 25, 2009, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by tkrussell

Sounds like you stripped the cord, a flat cord, with a green wire covered by the same insulation covering the two outer wires, and neither are colored.

If so,

On the outside of the cord, one of the outer wires will have ribs or notches in the insulation. This identifies that conductor as the white neutral.

That conductor gets connected to the silver colored screw or terminal found in the male plug, leaving a green terminal for the green wire, and the remaining wire of the cord connecting to the brass screw or terminal of the plug.

This also assumes the unit is 120 volts.

Perfect. I never noticed that one was ribbed, it was - I put that to the neutral terminal, the ac works fine.

Thanks,

Also, it is a 120 unit. I'll be sure to include that in future questions.