Recreational Vehicle (RV) Technician Practice Test

Black (hot), White (neutral), and Ground wires together provide how many volts?

1. 100 volts

2. 120 volts

3. 240 volts

4. 60 volts

The correct answer is: 120 volts

In standard North American residential wiring, the black wire is used as the hot wire, the white wire is the neutral wire, and there is typically a bare or green wire for ground. When considering the usage of these wires together in a typical RV or household electrical system, the black wire carries the electrical voltage, while the white wire completes the circuit by returning the current to the source. The standard voltage delivered by the black wire in this configuration is 120 volts when referencing the neutral wire. The ground wire, while playing an essential safety role, does not carry a voltage in normal operating circumstances. Therefore, when black and white wires are considered together in this context, we find that they would typically provide a circuit operating at 120 volts, which is crucial for the functioning of various appliances and systems within the RV.