[Honduras Bob]

I just read where one of you told someone, the black wire goes on the screw with the longer opening and white opposite, Ie, Then I saw this following statement from an electrician


All white wires are connected to the side with a silvery color and the black wires to the brassy terminals.

I just installed about 20 outlets, and the black wire is on the brass looking screw, on the side with the shorter opening, and the white is on the silvery looking screw, and that side has the longer opening, and is on the same side with the green grounding lug.. Have I bought a bunch of reversed lemons, or mis read something,

Also In my USA house, when I had one, the green ground was tied to the neutral at the main panel, and when I do this here, and apply voltage from the meter, I also read voltage on the ground, from black to neutral, and also black to green, which of course applys voltage to lthe outlet box in the wall.. At the same time, I am told, the green ground does not have voltage, till a problem occurs, have I got one already.. Seems to me I have hot outlet boxe plus a hot breaker box housing..

[JackT]

The black ( Hot ) always goes to the brass screw, the white ( Neutral ) always goes to the silver screw and the ground wire goes on the green screw on any normal 120 volt receptacle. You should always read 120 volts from the black wire to both the neutral and ground wire. The black wire is the energized wire and the neutral and ground just complete the circuit back to your breaker box. You shouldn't have any voltage between the ground and neutral.

[ballengerb1]

JackT hit the mark. Also, the green (ground) should not have power or be energized unless there is a short.

[ZCCG]

Jack T and Ballengerb1 are correct. The bigger opening is on the Neutral side and has the Silver screw.
With your meter... short opening to either large opening or ground should be 120.
You should read Zero volts between the Large opening ( Neutral ) and ground.
The way that I was taught to remember this was that the darker colored wire(black or red) goes to the darker colored screw(Brass).Lighter colored wire (White ) to the lighter colored screw ( Silver )... Green is always ground and goes to the green screw.

[Honduras Bob]

This is totally correct! Tnanx for your response..