With all the talk of the new European color code, I thought it might be fun to come up with some un-harmonized (dischordant? [Linked Image]) color codes as a little light relief.

What I have in mind is devising a new color code which will create the maximum amount of confusion for everybody concerned.

Let's see, Anglo-Saxon countries have always used red as a phase, while Germanic-influenced areas associate it with ground. I propose, therefore, that red should be our new color for neutral, as neither group will expect that!

How about black as the protective earth? British areas assume it to be neutral while almost everywhere else uses it as a phase, so that should make for some interesting mistakes.

I think phase colors would be ideal if based around green. All of Europe uses green/yellow as an earth now, so clearly that should be a phase color in the new standard, and I propose plain green as the second phase to confuse those of us who grew up with that. The third phase should ideally be something which is difficult to distinguish from the others in dim lighting. How about green with a white stripe?

So, I propose:

Ground = Black
Neutral = Red
Phases = Green/yellow, green, green/white.

Let's hear some more suggestions! [Linked Image]