US wiring convention

[Spark]

I've just got a new pair of rear indicators (turn signals I think is the more common description in the US?) and before I continuity check them I thought I'd ask... There are two wires coming from the indicator body, one is plain black and the other is black with a white tracer. Is there a convention for this in the US?

[Wrench_SD]

hey spark I am not sure what you are asking, i guess you need to know what wire goes where ? I will look in my book and see if I can help you out... Stay Tuned

[Spark]

LOL! Let me try to clarify!! In the UK, for domestic appliances the wiring colours are - green with a yellow stripe is earth/ground, blue is neutral/return and brown is live. It's different in the USA I think! So... for vehicle wiring... if you just saw a plain black wire and a black wire with a white stripe, what would you assume they were? LOL! I mean I'm going to continuity check the wires on my turn signal to see what they are but I wondered if there was a standard designation such as black always being ground? Does that make more sense..?

[Deacon]

On my bike (German made) the brown and black are negative and I've got three different colors that are hot. Red, blue with white stripe, and green (WTF).

Good luck

[Spark]

Yeah, I still haven't got round to continuity checking it.. lazy...

[Wrench_SD]

LOL understood Sis, I would think with out looking that the black would be ground and the black with white stripe would be the hot.... but if you have a meter and can check continuity that will work just as well....

Love ya let us know how it goes...

[Spark]

LOL! Well I thought black would be ground but turns out now I've *finally* continuity checked the turn signal that black goes to the dot at the base of the bulb holder and black/white to the chassis! So I take it black = power and black/white = ground... Probably made in Taiwan anyway and any old wires thrown in! Although.. (thinks about it) When I used to deal with 3-phase electrics in the USA, white was neutral/return and black was a phase so it kind of makes sense!

[Wrench_SD]

Thanks I am glad the mystery is solved

[Spark]

Well it kept me amused for a while and the signals are now wired in. Just got to do the rear ones now!

[Wrench_SD]

well now comes the real fun you know those will be completely backwards from the front right ?? JK take care spark I hope to see you very soon....

[Spark]

See you soon indeed!