Released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Which standard should you be using for your project? • Ground - White or Gray. • Phase 2 - Black International wire color codes are often specified by law depending on your location, though most rely on common practice, below we cover Europe and Canada. • Positive (non-ground) - Red The protective ground must be either green, green-yellow, or bare copper. It depends on your location, voltage, and other important factors. Note: Older installations may use different color codes. If one phase of your wiring is at a higher voltage than others, using a high-leg connection, wires should be marked orange for that phase. The protective ground wire (listed as green-yellow) is green with yellow stripe. The International Electrotechnical Commission (or IEC) has established a wire color code for most European countries for AC “branch” circuits. • Negative (non-ground) - Black The color code is very similar to the U.S.A’s color code. DC or Direct Current, is typically used in battery systems and solar power systems, instead of AC or Alternating Current. • Phase 3 - Yellow • Phase 3 - Grey View our Wire & Resistor calculators in our Tools section. • Phase 2 - Orange • Ground - Green with Yellow Stripe. If one phase of your wiring is at a higher voltage than others, using a high-leg connection, wires should be marked orange for that phase. The International Electrotechnical Commission (or IEC) has established a wire color code for most European countries for AC “branch” circuits. This makes work safer, and any future maintenance needed, easier. Many of the wire identifications standards rely on color codes. Unless otherwise noted, LibreTexts content is licensed by CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. The manufacturer of most narrow wires will color code them, utilizing insulation of different colors. Create one now. These are commonly found in home and office settings. • Phase 1 - Red View our Wire & Resistor calculators in our Tools section. • Ground - Green with Yellow Stripe. Don't have an AAC account? DC or Direct Current, is typically used in battery systems and solar power systems, instead of AC or Alternating Current. Watch the recordings here on Youtube! It is very important to have a documented wire labeling system for higher voltage systems. • Phase 1 - Black Labels should include information regarding the circuit, and the appropriate disconnection point for lockout/tagout. • Ground - Green, Green with Yellow Stripe, or Bare Wire. Wiring Color Codes Infographic. The protective ground must be bare, green or green-yellow striped. • Phase 1 - Brown. We also acknowledge previous National Science Foundation support under grant numbers 1246120, 1525057, and 1413739. The color code is very similar to the U.S.A’s color code. Easy Chart Electrical Wire Color Codes – Infographic Electrical Wiring • Phase 3 - Blue These are listed in Table below. • Phase 3 - Grey. • Phase 2 - Red Basic Wire Color Code Information by Region. Positive (non-ground) - Red Negative (non-ground) - Black Ground - White or Gray. It is very important to have a documented wire labeling system for higher voltage systems. Phase 1 - Black Phase 2 - Red Phase 3 - Blue Neutral - White Ground - Green, Green with Yellow Stripe, or Bare Wire. Dec 1, 2017 - Read about Wiring Color Codes Infographic (Color Codes) in our free Electronics Textbook In the USA, color codes are usually utilized for power wires in “branch circuits,” the wiring between the last protective device like a circuit breaker and the load (like an appliance). IEC DC power circuit wiring color codes 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. These are commonly found in home and office settings. • Phase 2 - Black It depends on your location, voltage, and other important factors. Published under the terms and conditions of the, An Iron-Based Generator That Uses Waste Heat to Power Small Electrical Devices, Build Your Own Negative Voltage Generator, Op-Amp Basics: Introduction to the Operational Amplifier. Self-laminating wire wraps and heat-shrink tubes should be utilized to create clean and professional labels for your projects. Note: Older installations may use different color codes. These are commonly found in home and office settings. • Ground - Green, Green with Yellow Stripe, or Bare Wire. • Ground - Green with Yellow Stripe. Wires that are manufactured with black insulation are typically larger than #6 AWG. Color coding should always be added during installation with color bands that wrap around the wire. Wiring Color code standards are set in place by the Canadian Electric Code (or CEC) in Canada. Many of the wire identifications standards rely on color codes. High-leg connections are typically uncommon in newer installations. International wire color codes are often specified by law depending on your location, though most rely on common practice, below we cover Europe and Canada. Have questions or comments? Industrial motors and equipment typically have higher voltage systems. The United States National Electrical Code requires a bare copper, or green or green/yellow insulated protective conductor, a white or grey neutral, with any other colour used for single phase. The International Electrotechnical Commission (or IEC) has established a wire color code for most European countries for AC “branch” circuits. [ "article:topic", "license:gnudls", "authorname:tkuphaldt", "license:gnu" ], Instructor (Instrumentation and Control Technology). Wires that are manufactured with black insulation are typically larger than #6 AWG. • Neutral - White Phase 1 - Brown Phase 2 - Black Phase 3 - Grey Neutral - Blue Ground - Green with Yellow Stripe, Wiring Color code standards are set in place by the Canadian Electric Code (or CEC) in Canada. The LibreTexts libraries are Powered by MindTouch® and are supported by the Department of Education Open Textbook Pilot Project, the UC Davis Office of the Provost, the UC Davis Library, the California State University Affordable Learning Solutions Program, and Merlot. For more information contact us at info@libretexts.org or check out our status page at https://status.libretexts.org. Apr 25, 2017 - Read about Wiring Color Codes Infographic (Color Codes) in our free Electronics Textbook Looking for Wiring & Resistor Calculators? In the USA, color codes are usually utilized for power wires in “branch circuits,” the wiring between the last protective device like a circuit breaker and the load (like an appliance). Legal. Labels should include information regarding the circuit, and the appropriate disconnection point for lockout/tagout. • Phase 3 - Blue Released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. • Phase 1 - Brown Phase 1 - Red Phase 2 - Black Phase 3 - Blue Neutral - White Ground - Green with Yellow Stripe. For all other functions, there are no legal requirements. This makes work safer, and any future maintenance needed, easier. • Neutral - Gray … It is always a great idea to document the color code that's being followed. • Neutral - Blue Industrial motors and equipment typically have higher voltage systems. IEC, AC: Most of Europe abides by IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) wiring color codes for AC branch circuits. • Phase 2 - Black. 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