/diy/ - Do It Yourself

Get a simple 2 prong tester with a light, like pic related. Disconnect both wires from the outlet. Turn on the power, hold one lead in your hand and use the other lead to check the 2 wires one at a time, it will light up when you're touching the hot and remain out when you're on the neutral. I work in buildings with some old ass cloth insulated wiring and it's not always easy to determine what's hot or neutral but this will ensure you get it right 100% of the time