Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in the ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles. Only one of the black wires should be hot right?

In article ,
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Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in the ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles. Only one of the black wires should be hot right?

The first step is to try and determine if the black wires are fed from
the same breker.

Turn off one breaker or remove one fuse at a time to find out if only
one or if both of the black wires have power. This shold tell you if
they are fed from the same source.

You did not mention any white wires which you should have.

YOu did not say anything about the red wires having power. Normally for
recepticals black is one side of the 240 volts, red is the other and
white is the neutrral. Check from the black to the red wire to see if
you have the nominal 240 volts. If so Do the same breker off thing to
determine if they are fed from the same source.

If no power on the red wiires, you can try going back to the breaker box
and seeing if for some reason the red wires were used for the neutral,
which should never be done.

On 04/30/2017 03:35 PM, wrote:
Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in the ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles. Only one of the black wires should be hot right?




White is cold.

green (if present is ground)

all other colors are hot such as black , red, blue & yellow

On Sunday, April 30, 2017 at 9:46:17 PM UTC-4, philo wrote:
On 04/30/2017 03:35 PM, wrote:
Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in the ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles. Only one of the black wires should be hot right?




White is cold.

green (if present is ground)

all other colors are hot such as black , red, blue & yellow

Replace your "is" and "are" with "should be".

We really don't know how the OP's box is wired.

P.S. The term is "nuetral" not "cold".

On Monday, May 1, 2017 at 6:56:05 AM UTC-4, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Sunday, April 30, 2017 at 9:46:17 PM UTC-4, philo wrote:
On 04/30/2017 03:35 PM, wrote:
Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in the ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles. Only one of the black wires should be hot right?




White is cold.

green (if present is ground)

all other colors are hot such as black , red, blue & yellow

Replace your "is" and "are" with "should be".

We really don't know how the OP's box is wired.

P.S. The term is "nuetral" not "cold".

It's not clear what the total wire count is, but it sounds
like two of each of those colors? If so, he has a lot of wires
going into one unused ceiling box. Possible that either the
black or the red are switched, the others permanently hot.

On 05/01/2017 05:56 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Sunday, April 30, 2017 at 9:46:17 PM UTC-4, philo wrote:
On 04/30/2017 03:35 PM, wrote:
Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in the ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles. Only one of the black wires should be hot right?




White is cold.

green (if present is ground)

all other colors are hot such as black , red, blue & yellow

Replace your "is" and "are" with "should be".

We really don't know how the OP's box is wired.

P.S. The term is "nuetral" not "cold".



Ok perfectionist you are right!

On Mon, 1 May 2017 08:20:09 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
wrote:

On Monday, May 1, 2017 at 6:56:05 AM UTC-4, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Sunday, April 30, 2017 at 9:46:17 PM UTC-4, philo wrote:
On 04/30/2017 03:35 PM, wrote:
Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in the ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles. Only one of the black wires should be hot right?




White is cold.

green (if present is ground)

all other colors are hot such as black , red, blue & yellow

Replace your "is" and "are" with "should be".

We really don't know how the OP's box is wired.

P.S. The term is "nuetral" not "cold".

It's not clear what the total wire count is, but it sounds
like two of each of those colors? If so, he has a lot of wires
going into one unused ceiling box. Possible that either the
black or the red are switched, the others permanently hot.

We are far from having enough information to do more than offer a wild
assed guess.

On Mon, 1 May 2017 08:20:09 -0700 (PDT)
trader_4 wrote:

Possible that either the
black or the red are switched, the others permanently hot.

Really? WTF ebay man?

On Monday, May 1, 2017 at 11:22:15 AM UTC-4, philo wrote:
On 05/01/2017 05:56 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Sunday, April 30, 2017 at 9:46:17 PM UTC-4, philo wrote:
On 04/30/2017 03:35 PM, wrote:
Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in the ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles. Only one of the black wires should be hot right?




White is cold.

green (if present is ground)

all other colors are hot such as black , red, blue & yellow

Replace your "is" and "are" with "should be".

We really don't know how the OP's box is wired.

P.S. The term is "nuetral" not "cold".



Ok perfectionist you are right!

It's less about being a perfectionist and more about making sure we give the
OP the correct information. The main point of my response - other than the
P.S. of course ;-) - is exactly what Greg said:

"We are far from having enough information to do more than offer a wild
assed guess."

On 05/01/2017 07:13 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Monday, May 1, 2017 at 11:22:15 AM UTC-4, philo wrote:
On 05/01/2017 05:56 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Sunday, April 30, 2017 at 9:46:17 PM UTC-4, philo wrote:
On 04/30/2017 03:35 PM, wrote:
Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in the ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles. Only one of the black wires should be hot right?




White is cold.

green (if present is ground)

all other colors are hot such as black , red, blue & yellow

Replace your "is" and "are" with "should be".

We really don't know how the OP's box is wired.

P.S. The term is "nuetral" not "cold".



Ok perfectionist you are right!

It's less about being a perfectionist and more about making sure we give the
OP the correct information. The main point of my response - other than the
P.S. of course ;-) - is exactly what Greg said:

"We are far from having enough information to do more than offer a wild
assed guess."




Especially since he did not mention and white wires.

On 4/30/2017 4:35 PM, wrote:
Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in the ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles. Only one of the black wires should be hot right?


So the bond to j-box ground terminal red wires tested black screw ceiling appeared recepicals four garage only two two unused noticed appeared right?

On Monday, May 1, 2017 at 8:57:21 PM UTC-4, philo wrote:
On 05/01/2017 07:13 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Monday, May 1, 2017 at 11:22:15 AM UTC-4, philo wrote:
On 05/01/2017 05:56 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Sunday, April 30, 2017 at 9:46:17 PM UTC-4, philo wrote:
On 04/30/2017 03:35 PM, wrote:
Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in the ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles. Only one of the black wires should be hot right?




White is cold.

green (if present is ground)

all other colors are hot such as black , red, blue & yellow

Replace your "is" and "are" with "should be".

We really don't know how the OP's box is wired.

P.S. The term is "nuetral" not "cold".



Ok perfectionist you are right!

It's less about being a perfectionist and more about making sure we give the
OP the correct information. The main point of my response - other than the
P.S. of course ;-) - is exactly what Greg said:

"We are far from having enough information to do more than offer a wild
assed guess."




Especially since he did not mention and white wires.

Read the subject line.

On Monday, May 1, 2017 at 9:06:06 PM UTC-4, Willie T Fornicator wrote:
On 4/30/2017 4:35 PM, wrote:
Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in the ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles. Only one of the black wires should be hot right?


So the bond to j-box ground terminal red wires tested black screw ceiling appeared recepicals four garage only two two unused noticed appeared right?

Wires red receptacle two bond appeared notice switch floor pipe lug shed. Thanks!

On 05/01/2017 08:10 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:





Especially since he did not mention and white wires.

Read the subject line.


Time for a nap, I did not have my news reader open full screen and that
part was cut off.

On Monday, May 1, 2017 at 9:14:41 PM UTC-4, philo wrote:
On 05/01/2017 08:10 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:





Especially since he did not mention and white wires.

Read the subject line.


Time for a nap, I did not have my news reader open full screen and that
part was cut off.




Good night. ;-)

On Mon, 1 May 2017 18:10:22 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
wrote:

Especially since he did not mention and white wires.

Read the subject line.

If I saw 2 reds nutted together, 2 blacks nutted together and 2 whites
nutted together I would guess I was looking at a 3 way switch circuit.
Using a digital meter there is enough capacitive coupling that all but
the whites would look hot.
Ceiling boxes to tend to be junction boxes even when they have
luminaires hanging from them. It is just too handy a place in the
middle of the room for sparky to ignore and it is usually a pretty big
box even though they tend to get over filled.
Guessing what is going on can be a crap shoot.

On 05/01/2017 09:12 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Monday, May 1, 2017 at 9:06:06 PM UTC-4, Willie T Fornicator wrote:
On 4/30/2017 4:35 PM, wrote:
Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in the ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles. Only one of the black wires should be hot right?

So the bond to j-box ground terminal red wires tested black screw ceiling appeared recepicals four garage only two two unused noticed appeared right?
Wires red receptacle two bond appeared notice switch floor pipe lug shed. Thanks!

+1

On Monday, May 1, 2017 at 9:06:51 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Mon, 1 May 2017 18:10:22 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
wrote:

Especially since he did not mention and white wires.

Read the subject line.

If I saw 2 reds nutted together, 2 blacks nutted together and 2 whites
nutted together I would guess I was looking at a 3 way switch circuit.
Using a digital meter there is enough capacitive coupling that all but
the whites would look hot.
Ceiling boxes to tend to be junction boxes even when they have
luminaires hanging from them. It is just too handy a place in the
middle of the room for sparky to ignore and it is usually a pretty big
box even though they tend to get over filled.
Guessing what is going on can be a crap shoot.

An incandescent test light is always something to have in the test equipment collection. I made my own with a rubber weather proof pigtail socket, a pair of insulated alligator clips and 100W rough service silicone covered bulb which I think is still available. My amp clamp/multimeter had a built in noncontact voltage detector which also came in handy. Since I also serviced telecom and data systems I used a cable toner to trace electrical power wiring. I even had a breaker finder that worked on live circuits without having to use what me and my brother called,"The Jesus Method." That's where you take a hot and neutral/ground, turn your face away, touch the wires together and shout "JESUS!" when the arc from the short circuit makes a loud KAPOW!. You then go look for a tripped breaker. In an industrial setting where 440vac is used, hearing and eye protection is recommended.ヽ(ヅ)ノ

[8~{} Uncle Crazed Monster

Sun, 30
Apr 2017 20:35:20 GMT in alt.home.repair, wrote:

Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I
noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in the
ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles. Only one
of the black wires should be hot right?

You don't seem to know what you're doing, AND, you haven't provided
enough information for anyone to really be able to advise you. That
being said, I'd suggest you call an electrician to do this for you. Not
only for your own personal safety, but, so you don't cause a fire and
potentially burn your garage down, and, your house as well if it's
attached. You didn't provide us that information, either.



--
I would like to apologize for not having offended you yet.
Please be patient. I will get to you shortly.

philo news May 2017 01:46:14 GMT in alt.home.repair, wrote:

On 04/30/2017 03:35 PM, wrote:
Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I
noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in
the ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles.
Only one of the black wires should be hot right?




White is cold.

It's neutral. And, that is NOT set in stone, either.

green (if present is ground)

all other colors are hot such as black , red, blue & yellow

Erm, without knowing more about the wiring configuration itself, you
shouldn't assume that to be true. Electricity is color blind. And, the
op should call a licensed electrician to assist them, because, they
don't seem to know what they're doing or the risk/danger they could be
placing not only themselves in, but, their property as well.




--
I would like to apologize for not having offended you yet.
Please be patient. I will get to you shortly.

On 02/05/2017 20:57, Diesel wrote:
philo news May 2017 01:46:14 GMT in alt.home.repair, wrote:

On 04/30/2017 03:35 PM, wrote:
Both black wires appeared to be hot when I tested them. Then I
noticed the two red wires. This was an unused junction box in
the ceiling of my garage. I have two two outlet receptacles.
Only one of the black wires should be hot right?




White is cold.

It's neutral. And, that is NOT set in stone, either.

green (if present is ground)

all other colors are hot such as black , red, blue & yellow

Erm, without knowing more about the wiring configuration itself, you
shouldn't assume that to be true. Electricity is color blind. And, the
op should call a licensed electrician to assist them, because, they
don't seem to know what they're doing or the risk/danger they could be
placing not only themselves in, but, their property as well.


+1 IAWTP

--
The only people who make a difference are the people who believe they can.