Electrical wire color code chart. Just remember all electrical wires could carry a current at some point so treat every color wire with equal caution. Hot active wires may be any other colors except these. However common practice per local electrical inspectors is for the first hot live or active wire to be black and the. Wiring color codes used for electrical wiring has a specific meaning with different colors for different types and purposes of circuits.
If you want to do a bit of diy in the home or see what may be wrong with your wires then you will definitely need to know what the different coloured wires generally mean. For those who want to learn a simple guide can help to understand their meaning. But looking deeper the color of the wires inside of the sheathing reveals that different colored wires serve different purposes. Electrical wire colors for most typical home electrical wiringthe chart below includes uk electrical wire eu electrical wire australia electrical wire new zealand electrical wire south africa electrical wire canada electrical wire and united states electrical wire.
Beyond that are general industry accepted rules about wire color that indicate their purpose. Electrical wiring colour codes. This post will discuss what are wiring color codes regional wiring color codes in usa uk europe canada and when should. Thermocouple wire color coding house wiring colors liar fuse12 wiring colours electrical plug wire 4 band resistor color code calculator rj45 pinout showmecables house wiring colors liar fuse12 klictravel nlelectrical wire color codes wiring colors chartelectrical education electricians training wiringwiring color codes usa uk europe canada when to ly3 phase wire color code chart faint.
If you have any hesitations at all leave electrical work to a qualified professional. It is important to note that with this type of wiring there are multiple phases in place each of which will get its own color wire to make it clear what it is for those working on it. In 1999 it became apparent that a new european standard for wiring and cable colours meant that the uk would have to change fixed wire insulator colours. For wires that will be 120 208 or 240 volts the following wiring color standards are used.
Learning these electrical wire color codes before attempting any type of do it yourself diy electrical system repair is critical. The protective ground must be bare green or green yellow striped. Electricians and contractors understand these codes. Although we do highly recommend to leave these jobs to the professionals for safety reasons it is helpful to know the differences.
What the color of an electrical wire means black. With the help of color codes of electrical wires they can be easily and safely identified. The national electrical code nec says that white or gray must be used for neutral conductors and that bare copper or green wires must be used as ground wires.