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Quick 110V electrical question

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Topic: Quick 110V electrical question

Posted By: iowallis
Subject: Quick 110V electrical question
Date Posted: 03 Aug 2024 at 9:46am

Putting back together a Coke machine from the 1960s that I needed to replace the refrigeration unit.

The new unit has 2 wires coming out from it, one labeled "neutral, the other labeled "hot". Problem is that the wires attach into a junction box that isn't labeled, just 2 screws the wires attach to. The machine's cord that plugs into the wall socket is grounded, but with the blades the same size isn't a polarized plug. The old refrigeration unit has a different style relay/starter(?) so it so I can't go by that.

There is a wiring diagram for the inside of the cabinet and coin mech/vending but nothing for the compressor or main wiring harness. I assume one side side will go through the thermostat if this make a difference for the hot or neutral wire.

How critical is that I hook the neutral wire to the the neutral side of the house wiring?

Replies:

Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 03 Aug 2024 at 5:53pm

Look to any newer plug, the Neutral is always the Spade of the larger width.. With plug ground at bottom the Neutral is on the left side on the socket as look at it.

Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 03 Aug 2024 at 8:09pm

back in the 1960s, many things did NOT have a ground wire......as DAve said, try to get the HOT to the right side of the PLUG... Dont make any difference inside your cooler... but back at the HOUSE electrical box, the NEUTRAL and GROUND are connected..

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Like them all, but love the "B"s.

Posted By: DaveKamp
Date Posted: 04 Aug 2024 at 12:23am

The relay you see there is probably a 'potential relay' that, under start conditions, includes a start capacitor and it's start winding into the hot side of the motor circuit. Once the motor has made it up above a certain speed, that relay takes the start cap and winding out of the circuit and the compressor pump proceeds to full run speed.

As others noted, the HOT conductor is the RIGHT side, with ground facing down. Neutral is the wider blade which your plug doesn't have. Back then, the presence of the ground enforced polarity for devices with grounding.

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Ten Amendments, Ten Commandments, and one Golden Rule solve most every problem. Citrus hand-cleaner with Pumice does the rest.

Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 04 Aug 2024 at 6:58am

gee my Coke machine was filled with water ( and 5 1/2 cases of brown bottles..... )

One test you can do....

Use and ohmmeter and connect to one of the '120 v power' wires of the machine and chassis (ground). it should be open.. then go between the other wire and ground ,again probably open.

If both are 'open', then neither wire IS connected to the chassis ground.

On old tube type radios and guitar amplifiers, the chassis was connected to one of the two through a high value resistor. You could minimize 'hum' by flipping the radio plug around, or by flipping a switch on the guitar amplifier

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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)

Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water

Posted By: iowallis
Date Posted: 04 Aug 2024 at 12:04pm

Once I found out what side of the plug was what hot or neutral I just checked from the cord where it would plug into the wall back to where the compressor hooks up with a 12V garden tractor battery and a test light. Double checked the other side by jumpering over the thermostat wires. Should be good to go hooking everything back up.