As you interact with various electrical devices and connections, you’ll come across different terms. You will hear about a line or a load of wires.
The main difference between the two wires is that a line is a wire that supplies electricity to a device, like a panel or switches receiving power. However, a load is a wire that takes away electrical currents from a device. The line wire is black, while the load wire can be red, blue, or black.
Read on and understand more about a line vs. load.
Understanding How Line and Load Works
A line and load can be found in one device. When the electricity reaches home, the line will disperse it to the panel. After that, the load will take it to the devices in the circuit. In this case, the load wires dispersing the power from the panel acts as the line wires on the device.
How To Differentiate Between Line & Load?
You can prevent accidents like switching the wires during connection in the panels or switching after understanding how they differ.
The best way to do that is by;
Testing For the Wires
You can test for the voltage on these wires to know which is which. This is mostly applicable if the wires are of the same color and you are left confused.
- Use a volt stick or pen to test for the voltage on each wire. If the pen tester beeps red lights, that’s an indication that it is a line, but if it doesn’t glow, it’s a sign of a load wire. It’s advisable to use a volt stick for this test to reduce your workload. There is no need to unscrew the connections. Also, ensure the power breaker is off for safety reasons.
- A digital multimeter can also help you know which kind of wire that is. To get accurate readings have the multimeter knob to AC voltage to 200 volts, the black probe read COM while the red points at the V. If the multimeter reads 120 volts or more, that’s an indication of a line wire. The load wire will be in your meter box or switch in this instance.
- Some people also use neon screwdrivers to differentiate between the two. You should insert it into the electric socket hole with your fingers pressing on the metallic cap. If the screwdriver glows up, it’s a sign of a line wire, but if it fails to shine, that’s a load wire.
Looking At Position of The Wires
The load wire sits at the top of the switch. On the other hand, the line is connected to the bottom of the switch, with some having marks like ‘pwr’’ or ‘’line’’.
Size Of the Wires
The wires also differ in size. The line which holds more power than a load wire is much bigger. This contributes to the power difference between the two wires.
The Color of The Insulations
The color-coding in electrical helps you know the type of wire you have. These colors are fixed on the wires as insulations which helps protect you from electric shock. The line wires are black, while the load is red or black. You should be keen on the colors to avoid accidents when working on electrical connections.
Bottom Line
The application of line and load wires differs, a reason that makes each stand out. The line wires supply electric current from the main power source to devices or switches while the load carries the power to other devices. You can know the difference by looking at their colors or conducting various tests.
