Yes it may be somewhat confusing. As Einstein (100 years ago last month)
said, it's all relative. Try to picture an oscillating wave representing
120VAC. The difference between the top and bottom of the waves is 120 V.
Now if we force one side to be grounded the other side must be oscillating
between plus 120 V and minus 120 V. But remember there never is more than
120 V relative to ground.

On Navy ships all 120 VAC power has no neutral. Each leg is hot and is 60
VAC relative to ground similar to the way 240 VAC in your house is set up.
This is for safety since you will only get a 60 V shock between a hot and
ground. We always had to check out test gear we took ships to make sure
that the neutral was not connected to ground.

If you really want to be confused try to understand 3 phase power. Ever
notice how all high voltage lines are in sets of three. With three phase
power the sum of the power supplied to a load is constant so motors and
generators run much more smoothly.


wrote in message
oups.com...
I've been reading up on basic home wiring. After I few pages I have
one basic question that I need to get a good answer to before I read
more.

All my reading refers to the black wire as the "hot" wire and the white
wire as the "neutral" wire. Polorized plugs force the black wire on
the outlet to connect to the black wire on the appliance.

The reason all this is supposedly done is because current flows from
the black wire in the fuse box to the white wire the neutral bus bar in
the fuse box.

Now why I may buy this "current flow" for direct current, it seems to
run against the concept of alternating current.

Can someone set me straight on this topic? What EXACTLY do the terms
"hot" and "neutral" mean?

Thanks