If I have wired my 20 amp kitchen receptacles with 12/2 wire which only has a red, black, and ground wire, do I use the red wire for a neutral and the black as a hot?
that is notably unusual. commonly, the twine used is #12/2 NM-B for abode wiring. yet whilst it is already put in, that is likely to be to no longer basic to alter it now. yet in no way concern the NEC is here! The national electric Code demands the impartial to be white. you are able to purely re-% out the purple conductor with a decrease priced roll of white electric tape. The Code demands the comprehensive conductor on the container to be re-pointed out. Or a sequence of three (3) stripes on the conductor. So use the black on your 'warm', and re-% out the purple with white tape on your impartial.
That wire should not be used in that application. In fact, it violates code, and if you have a fire, your insurance company may not pay damages. Normal wire is white (neutral) black (hot) and green (ground). You may be able to get away with wrapping white tape around the first few inches of the red wire AT BOTH ENDS, you would have to check your local code requirements. .
You must not use 20 Amps for a regular wall plug, it will burn! there is no such thing as 20 A duplex plug, they only come in simplex! If the cable has only a black and red wire it is usually for 220V applications! Sometimes you will find a 3 conductor cable in a kitchen plug, black, red and white wire. This is for a dual circuit outlet. The top plug has a different circuit breaker than the lower plug. As the others have answered, check your local code! Check with your insurance company, because they may effectively void the coverage! It is best to get help from someone qualified.
You deffinatly need to put white tape on that red wire and to make it known as being a neutral.... The black wire is always going to be a hot in receptacle circuits...
