IEC (most of Europe) AC power circuit wiring color codes
| Function | label | Color, IEC | Color, old IEC |
| Protective earth | PE | green-yellow | green-yellow |
| Neutral | N | blue | blue |
| Line, single phase | L | brown | brown or black |
| Line, 3-phase | L1 | brown | brown or black |
Full Answer
What are the wire colors?
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What do the colors of wires indicate?
What Do the Colors of Wires Mean?
- Ground Wire Color. The grounding wire in your switch or outlet box isn't actually a part of the circuit -- but in terms of safety, it's the most important one, ...
- Neutral Wire Colors. ...
- Hot Conductor Colors. ...
- Special Cases. ...
What are the wire color codes?
What are wire color codes?
- Phase 1 - Brown.
- Phase 2 - Black.
- Phase 3 - Grey.
- Neutral - Blue.
- Ground - Green with Yellow Stripe.
What are the colors of electrical wires?
What are the standard color codes for electric wires?
- Phase 1 – Black.
- Phase 2 – Red.
- Phase 3 – Blue.
- Neutral – White.
- Ground – Green, Green with Yellow Stripe, or Bare Wire.
What is the color code for wiring?
The protective ground is green or green with yellow stripe. The neutral is white, the hot (live or active) single phase wires are black , and red in the case of a second active. Three-phase lines are red, black, and blue.
Which color wire is positive?
The coloring is as follows: The positive current must be red. The negative current must be black. The ground wire, if present, must be white or grey.
What colour is live wire in South Africa?
brownIn South Africa these wires are identified as follows: brown - LIVE (PHASE) blue - NEUTRAL. green/yellow - EARTH.
Which Colour wire is live?
BrownPlug wiring coloursWireColourLiveBrownNeutralBlueEarthYellow and Green
Which color wire is hot?
blackHot wire is identified by its black casing. This is the main color of hot wire for most homes. However, other hot wires can red, blue, or yellow, although these colors can indicate a different function besides powering an outlet.
What Colour wire goes to L and N South Africa?
Household electrical cables have three wires inside: Brown, which links to the live terminal (L). Looking from the top, E is in the middle, while N is on the left and L is on the right.
What do different wire colors mean?
Black wires are hot wires that run to the electrical outlet from the switch. Red wires are hot wires common in a 240-volt outlet or when a wall switch controls the outlet. Blue and yellow wires are hot wires for ceiling fans and three- or four-way switches. White or gray electrical wires are neutral wires.
Which is live red or black?
Wire Colour Changes for 2-Core and Earth CableOld ColourNew ColourLive redLive brownNeutral blackNeutral blueGreen and yellow/bare earthGreen and yellow/bare earth
Types of Wire Color Codes
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Labeling Electrical Wires & Conduits
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Effective Training Options
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Applying Color Standards to Existing Wiring
If there are wires in a facility that were put in place prior to the standards that are now used, it is important to take steps to address this saf...
What color wire should I use for a hot wire?
However, common practice (per local electrical inspectors) is for the first hot (live or active) wire to be black and the second hot to be red. The recommendations in Table below are by Wiles. He makes no recommendation for ungrounded power system colors.
What color wires are used in UK AC circuits?
US, AC: The US National Electrical Code only mandates white (or grey) for the neutral power conductor and bare copper, green, or green with yellow stripe for the protective ground. In principle any other colors except these may be used for the power conductors.
What color conductors are used for 208 VAC?
Black, red, and blue are used for 208 VAC three-phase; brown, orange and yellow are used for 480 VAC. Conductors larger than #6 AWG are only available in black and are color taped at the ends.
What color is the ground for DC power?
US DC power: The US National Electrical Code (for both AC and DC) mandates that the grounded neutral conductor of a power system be white or grey. The protective ground must be bare, green or green-yellow striped. Hot (active) wires may be any other colors except these.
What color is the neutral power conductor?
US, AC: The US National Electrical Code only mandates white (or grey) for the neutral power conductor and bare copper, green, or green with yellow stripe for the protective ground. In principle any other colors except these may be used for the power conductors.
What color is the protective ground?
The protective ground is green or green with yellow stripe. The neutral is white, the hot (live or active) single phase wires are black , and red in the case of a second active. Three-phase lines are red, black, and blue.
What color wires are used in a conduit?
Blue and Yellow Electrical Wires. While wires in these colors carry power, they are not used in typical outlet wiring. Instead, blue and yellow wires are used as the live wires pulled through a conduit.
What is red wire?
Red Electrical Wires. In 220-volt circuits, red wires are the secondary live wires. Like black wires, they can also be used in some types of switch legs. In addition, red wires are used to connect hardwired smoke detectors to the home’s power system.
What is black wire?
Black Electrical Wires. This color of wire is used to transfer power to switches and outlets in all types of circuits. Also, black wires are often used as switch legs in circuits, which is the connection linking a switch to the electrical load. Consider all black wires to be live at all times.
How do green wires work?
They connect to the grounding terminal in an outlet box and run to the ground bus bar in an electrical panel. In this way, green wires act as a failsafe, giving electricity a place to escape into the ground if a live wire within the circuit touches metal or something else conductive.
Do all wires carry current?
Just remember, all electric al wires could carry a current at some point, so treat every color wire with equal caution. If you have any hesitations at all, leave electrical work to a qualified professional.
Can white wires be connected to gray wires?
White and gray electrical wires can only be connected to one another. While they’re called “neutral” wires, they may still carry a current, especially if the current load in the circuit is unbalanced, so handle these wires cautiously.
A brief history of wiring color codes
It took until 1928 for wire color coding to make its debut. The National Electrical Code® (NEC) was the first to reference it, and today continues to set the standards for the electrical industry. Following a uniform color code makes it easier to assess electrical wiring, and ensure safety among licensed professionals and homeowners alike.
The NEC wire color coding standards
Though there are international wire color codes, the U.S. follows the National Electrical Code ® (NEC). The code is identified as NFPA 70 ® because the NEC is sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association. Though not a federal law (states can choose to adopt it), it is approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
3-Phase Wire Color Codes
Whether adding a home appliance or industrial machinery, you’ll need to know these electrical wiring color codes. In the U.S., these color-coded wires carry power from a circuit breaker to a device.
How Brady can help
Just like no two electrical projects are the same, you’ll find Brady support comes in different shapes and sizes. We offer industrial label printers, cable labels, wire markers, heat shrink sleeves, electrical safety signs and software — effective and easy ways to communicate vital information, and stay safe.
What is the color code for AC wires?
This standard was originally published as IEC 60446, but was merged into IEC 60445 in 2010.
What does it mean when a cable marker is blue?
For example, if a cable marker is blue, that might indicate that it’s part of a specific subgroup of the local network. Printed text on the label, though, could identify which specific workstation uses that cable, which port on the server it should be connected to, as well as when the cable was installed.
What is the ANSI 606-A standard?
The ANSI/TIA/EIA 606-A standard includes recommendations for marking telecommunications wires. This standard provides a consistent approach that can be applied to many different kinds of connections over time.
Do you need to print wiring labels?
With information wiring, printed labels can be a necessity. Wire markers should be visible during installation and normal maintenance of the wiring systems. When those labels use printed text, they should use high-contrast and durable print.
Do older electrical systems have different color codes?
It depends on your location, installation type, voltage, and other factors. Note that older installations may use different color codes. In workplaces, it’s a good idea to document the color code that is being followed. This way, work will be safer, and future maintenance will be easier.
Is the color of wire the same?
There are many wire identification standards, and many of them rely on color codes. Not all electrical wiring color codes are the same, though, and some even contradict each other.
What color wires are used for a PG?
The mandatory colors for power wiring in National Electric Codes (NEC) are Green, Bare or Green/Yellow (Yellow Strip or band on Green) for Protective Ground “PG” and White (alternatively Grey) for Neutral Wire. Any other colors expected the above mentioned can be used for Live (Line or Hot) wires.
What is the IEC DC wiring color code?
The following IEC DC wiring color codes are used for Two-Wire Grounded, Two-Wire ungrounded and Three Wire grounded DC power systems.
Which countries use the IEC color code for DC?
Other Countries like China, Russia, KSA and UAE now follow the IEC Cable color codes for DC. But don’t trust the cable insulation colors in these areas as electricians use old as well as new color codes for both AC and DC.
Does Russia use gray or purple?
Russia was following the same wiring color codes as China before but they adapted the IEC with little bit changes i.e. in a three phase system, they may use purple or gray color instead of gray in IEC. As things are little bit changed in Russia, so one must follow the tester before going in the mess.