Standard Interpretations - Table of Contents Standard Interpretations - Table of Contents
• Standard Number: 1910.309
February 18, 1980 
MEMORANDUM FOR:   GILBERT J. SAULTER
                  Regional Administrator

ATTENTION:        HERBERT M. KURTZ

THRU:             ROGER CLARK
                  Field Coordinator

FROM:             GROVER C. WRENN
                  Director Federal Compliance and State Programs

SUBJECT:          Citing of Reversed Polarity

In response to your inquiry on reversed polarity in requirement for correct polarity in receptacles is indicated by the 1971 National Electrical Code sections 200-2, 200-9, and 200-10(b). These sections require the grounded conductor to be properly identified. If the grounded conductor is connected to the wrong terminal in a receptacle, it is no longer correctly identified. Also, Sections 200-7 generally prohibits ungrounded conductors from being identified with a white or natural gray color. This requirement would be violated if the ungrounded conductor were connected to the identified terminal. In the 1978 NEC and in the Office of Standards Development proposed revision of Subpart S, there is a new requirement covering reversed polarity specifically.

The hazards of reversed polarity are discussed in the two enclosures.

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