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AceMcCool 09-23-2012 09:29 PM

Track light wire identification
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Tried to search but didn't find quite what I was looking for.

Ok, we bought a demo model halogen 3 light track light. So what the problem is, the wiring for each light does not consist of the usual black and white wires, instead its basically lamp wire which is two strands of wire molded into the one piece clear coating. So I have 3 sets of these wires and a ground attached to the fixture case.

Wanted to know if it matters which wire from each 3 sets is bundled together to make up the black and white wire groups.

Tried looking up the light at the manufacture website but their site doesn't seem to function properly when you try to search for a manual.

Thank you.

jbfan 09-23-2012 09:41 PM

The side with the rib will be the neutral wire.

AceMcCool 09-23-2012 09:55 PM

I made a mistake in the original post. There is a clear outer casing then there are the two wires with a clear coating on each within the casing and the copper itself is twisted like usual. There is no ribbing or physical marking on any of the casings. I know the wire you are talking about which I have used for repairing a lamp years ago. It's just hard to figure out for me in this case because both wires look identical. The copper isn't colored differently, the plastic casing of the wire isn't a different color or texture and same goes with the outer casing.

Jim Port 09-23-2012 09:57 PM

You can also check for continuity between the shell and the conductor. The shell is white. The center tab is black.

AceMcCool 09-23-2012 10:08 PM

Not really that experienced.

I am assuming by the shell and center tab you are talking about the socket the bulb would sit in correct?

These are GU10 bulbs with the two poles on the end of the bulb the push and twist into. I also don't really have any practical way to test this unless you have a simple suggestion on how to test it.

Oso954 09-24-2012 01:40 AM

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That appears to be a light fixture. It may have track type heads, but it is not track with removable heads.

GU10 sockets have identical holes and contacts for the pins of the bulb. Each one is exactly 5mm from the center point of the ceramic socket. So what difference does it make ?

I'd grab one wire from each socket and make it the hot. The other becomes the neutral. It's not an Edison base where you are trying to keep the threads from being hot.

k_buz 09-24-2012 06:38 AM

Silver strands = neutral and copper strands = hot in this case

AceMcCool 09-24-2012 02:10 PM

Thanks for your help people.

I had a hunch from the beginning that it may not matter which wire was which due to the type of bulb this was powering. I just wanted to make sure.

You would think that if it did matter they would have put more effort into color coding the wire.
