Hot wire - ribbed or not?

[BryanH]

I want to put the lights on my VMC110 on switches.  Can't remember whether the convention is for the ribbed wire or smooth wire to be hot?  Is there anyway to verify this with a simple multi-meter?  Thanks.

[90grad]

Bryan,

I believe the ribbed wire is the non-hot one.  One wire may also have writing on it and one may not.  I was told the one with the writing was hot.  Of course I have a 50/50 shot of being wrong, but this is what I was told.

[Jim]

Generally, the ribbed side of "zip cord" is utilized for the neutral, commonly the white wire. To take this a litter further, this will also be the larger prong on a plug; the small prong is the hot side.

[BryanH]

Ribbed = Neutral.  Thanks.  I might write it down this time.

[sodaworks]

Jim is correct. '>