Simply remove your current thermostat face from its baseplate and look for the terminal labeled with the letter c if this terminal has a wire attached to it you have an active c wire. The common wire is the only wire that needs to be attached to a particular screw often the dark one on the 2 way switch.
Learn About The Common Wire And Why A Nest Thermostat May
What is the common wire. When it works as a connecting wire the wire connects at least two wires of a circuit together. R wire red for power. Thermostats can get this constant power through a common wire or c wire it is easy to see if you already have a c wire connected to your system. While the common wire must be connected in a specific location on the two way switch the traveler wires may be connected to either of the remaining terminals. Is that white or black wire. Location does not matter.
Traditional hvac wiring in homes uses four or more wires one of which is called the common wire or c wire. Contrary to its name the c wire isnt actually all that common. Why a common wire. It is easy to confuse common with the neutral wire and in many cases this is true. The c wire or common wire enables the continuous flow of 24 vac power to the thermostat. What is the common wire in electrical wiring.
Its also called common because all circuits in the house typically have the white wires tied together which means every circuit has that wire in common. Homes involves a neutral wire at the ground potential and two hot wires of 120 volts each. Stack exchange network stack exchange network consists of 177 qa communities including stack overflow the largest most trusted online community for developers to learn share their knowledge and build their careers. A common wire is either a connecting wire or a type of neutral wiring depending on the electrical circuit. When the circuit is complete 24v energy will flow continuously. The basics layout of a typical home wiring system is.
Regarding thermostats one thing you do have direct control over relates to a single wire called the c or common wire. Technically speaking power flows from the r red wire but not continuously not on its own anyway. The term common is applied to the conductor that is used in any configuration of the circuit. Standard wiring design in us. To make it continuous requires a common wire to complete the circuit. The common wire is normally the white wire at least in the united states and is often called the neutral wire.
G wire green for a fan.
Gallery of What Is The Common Wire
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