10/10/2016 WiringColorCodes:ColorCodesElectronicsTextbook
WiringColorCodes
Chapter2ColorCodes
WiringforACandDCpowerdistributionbranchcircuitsarecolorcodedfor
[Link]
[Link],onlyafewconductor
[Link],localcustomdictatestheoptional
wirecolors.
IEC,AC:MostofEuropeabidesbyIEC(InternationalElectrotechnical
Commission)[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
wire(listedasgreenyellow)isgreenwithyellowstripe.
(//[Link]/textbook/reference/chpt2/wiringcolorcodes
infographic/)
Clicktoexpandinfograph
IEC(mostofEurope)ACpowercircuitwiringcolorcodes.
Function label Color,IEC Color,oldIEC
Protectiveearth PE greenyellow greenyellow
Neutral N blue blue
Line,singlephase L brown brownorblack
Line,3phase L1 brown brownorblack
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Line,3phase L1 brown brownorblack
Line,3phase L2 black brownorblack
Line,3phase L3 grey brownorblack
UK,AC:TheUnitedKingdomnowfollowstheIECACwiringcolorcodes.
[Link]
addingnewcoloredwiringtoexistingoldcoloredwiringseeCook.[PCk]
UKACpowercircuitwiringcolorcodes.
Function label Color,IEC OldUKcolor
Protectiveearth PE greenyellow greenyellow
Neutral N blue black
Line,singlephase L brown red
Line,3phase L1 brown red
Line,3phase L2 black yellow
Line,3phase L3 grey blue
US,AC:TheUSNationalElectricalCodeonlymandateswhite(orgrey)for
theneutralpowerconductorandbarecopper,green,orgreenwithyellow
[Link]
[Link]
[Link],red,andblueareusedfor208
VACthreephasebrown,orangeandyellowareusedfor480VAC.
Conductorslargerthan#6AWGareonlyavailableinblackandarecolor
tapedattheends.
USACpowercircuitwiringcolorcodes.
Function label Color,common Color,alternative
Protectiveground PG bare,green,orgreenyellow green
Neutral N white grey
Line,singlephase L blackorred(2ndhot)
Line,3phase L1 black brown
Line,3phase L2 red orange
Line,3phase L3 blue yellow
Canada:CanadianwiringisgovernedbytheCEC(CanadianElectric
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Canada:CanadianwiringisgovernedbytheCEC(CanadianElectric
Code).[Link]
[Link],thehot(liveoractive)singlephase
wiresareblack,[Link]
arered,black,andblue.
CanadaACpowercircuitwiringcolorcodes.
Function label Color,common
Protectiveground PG greenorgreenyellow
Neutral N white
Line,singlephase L blackorred(2ndhot)
Line,3phase L1 red
Line,3phase L2 black
Line,3phase L3 blue
IEC,DC:DCpowerinstallations,forexample,solarpowerandcomputer
datacenters,[Link]
colorstandardforDCpowercablesislistedinTablebelow,adaptedfrom
Table2,Cook.[PCk]
IECDCpowercircuitwiringcolorcodes.
Function label Color
Protectiveearth PE greenyellow
2wireunearthedDCPowerSystem
Positive L+ brown
Negative L grey
2wireearthedDCPowerSystem
Positive(ofanegativeearthed)circuit L+ brown
Negative(ofanegativeearthed)circuit M blue
Positive(ofapositiveearthed)circuit M blue
Negative(ofapositiveearthed)circuit L grey
3wireearthedDCPowerSystem
Positive L+ brown
Midwire M blue
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10/10/2016 WiringColorCodes:ColorCodesElectronicsTextbook
Midwire M blue
Negative L grey
USDCpower:TheUSNationalElectricalCode(forbothACandDC)
mandatesthatthegroundedneutralconductorofapowersystembewhite
[Link],greenorgreenyellow
[Link](active)[Link],
commonpractice(perlocalelectricalinspectors)isforthefirsthot(liveor
active)[Link]
recommendationsinTablebelowarebyWiles.[JWi]Hemakesno
[Link]
[Link],red(+)andblack
()followsthecoloringofthegroundedsystemsinthetable.
USrecommendedDCpowercircuitwiringcolorcodes.
Function label Color
Protectiveground PG bare,green,orgreenyellow
2wireungroundedDCPowerSystem
Positive L+ norecommendation(red)
Negative L norecommendation(black)
2wiregroundedDCPowerSystem
Positive(ofanegativegrounded)circuit L+ red
Negative(ofanegativegrounded)
N white
circuit
Positive(ofapositivegrounded)circuit N white
Negative(ofapositivegrounded)circuit L black
3wiregroundedDCPowerSystem
Positive L+ red
Midwire(centertap) N white
Negative L black
ViewourWire&Resistor(/tools/)calculatorsinourTools(/tools/)
section.
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