The bare wire is the ground, not the neutral. The NEC code now requires an active neutral in at least one switch in the room - whether it is used or not - for this very reason, but there are so many wired the old way that you may need to run a neutral.
You say there is a white wire in the switch box. Sometimes the power goes to the light (or outlet, if it is switch operated) then a pair of wires goes to the switch. The electrician is supposed to wrap the white wire with a different color tape (usually black, red, or blue) so it is not confused with the normal white common (neutral), but a lot of the handymen don't do that. If the white wire is connected to the switch itself, it is NOT a common.
If you are talking about the outlet itself, and the wire is connected to the left side of the outlet (the larger slot for the plug) then that is a neutral. You can test it by checking the voltage between the ground and each wire - you should get 120 on the hot and 0 on the neutral (sometimed you might get a low reading like 20 or 50, but that has to do with the fact that there are other things on that circuit).
Not knowing exactly the situation you've got, I can only say get an experienced electrician to look at it. If you are not familiar with electrical systems and methods, you can easily blow a circuit breaker or burn out the very items you want to install. Or worse, start a fire and the insurance company will probably refuse the claim since it was not done by a certified electrician.
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2020 10:02 PM
To: Do It Yourself <DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [DIY] Neutral Wire
the Villages, Florida
Posted by: Ron Johnson <l0c0l0b0@hotmail.com>
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