outlet problem

[edbulmer]

On one of my outlets only one neutral wire is working (black) the other black and the two live wires are fine. Can I piggyback the one good black to the two white (live) wires?

[djmarchand]

In standard US wiring black (and a red if it is a 240V circuit) are hot, white is neutral and green is safety ground.

So your message doesn't make any sense with the foregoing.

David

[edbulmer]

Thanks, I'm not from the US but the boat is. So then there a two blacks and one has no current. Can I then piggyback the one live black to the two outlet ternimals and put one white neutral on each terminal. The green is a given.

[nathanp]

If it's AC the two "plug ins" on the outlet get power from one set of black/white wires. The other set would be going on down the line to the next device.

[skipmac]

I would not start connecting wires or outlets until I knew exactly what is going on. US power on the boat could be hot wires of 125V each and, although one hot should be red and one black there is no certainty that the boat is wired following the color code.

Do you know if the boat is wired for US 250V which could have two separate circuits for 125V each or a combined circuit from one hot to the other of 250V?

This does bring up the question, what is your current source of power? Generator, invertor, shore power? Is the boat in the US and getting shore power? If so, a photo of the end of the plug or the socket on the boat would tell.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by edbulmer

Thanks, I'm not from the US but the boat is. So then there a two blacks and one has no current. Can I then piggyback the one live black to the two outlet ternimals and put one white neutral on each terminal. The green is a given.

Do you mean current or voltage? There's only current when there's a load using it.

You're scaring us, Ed. Call an electrician.

[edbulmer]

Sorry I meant voltage