[Boatanchors] AC plug & receptacle question

[J. Forster]

Yong Surk Lee wrote:

>  US uses 117volt AC household current.
> Most AC plugs have two pins, one wide and the other narrow.
> Also AC receptacles have two holes the same way.
> So the plug always fits one way.
> Why is this necessary?

So you don't interchange the Line and Neutral wires.

> Some of the US AC plug has the third pin which I believe is ground.

The round or 'D' shaped pin is Ground

> I have a US made AC cord that have 3 pins and 3 wires connected to it,
> white, black and green. I know the green is ground. The white and black wires
> are interchangeable?
> de HL1FB/WW6N

NO !!!  The White is the Neutral and in an unbalanced 115 V US system is near Ground.
The Black is the Line or Hot (Black = DEATH !!) It is 115 V above ground. (in a 230 V
balanced the hots are Black and Red)

-John