ECN Electrical Forum
Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals

Please submit your wire colours for your
given country.
Please give Phase(Live)+ Neutral and Earth
for Single Phase and wire colours for a
three phase system.
Maybe we can build up a list of colour codes
world-wide, so that no Electrician will be
confused.
Go ahead people!.

Bahamas:

Black,Red,Blue,white 120/208
Brown,Orange,Yellow,white 277/480

[This message has been edited by elektrikguy (edited 10-05-2002).]

Might we not be better moving this to the non-U.S. section? Bill??

If we can build up a comprehensive list of standards, old and new, then maybe we could get Scott to post them in the Technical Reference area.



[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 10-05-2002).]

Black,Red,Blue,white 120/208
Brown,Orange,Yellow,white 277/480


same on the mainland....

there is a requirement for orange to be used on a delta system high leg here, so sometimes the Y systems get a
Brown-Purple-Yellow designation.

Down here:
black-red-blue-white=120/208/240
brown-orange-yellow-grey=277/480
But then again the blue c leg 9 x out of 10 is the high leg in a delta here..for whatever reason.
John

120/208 black,red,blue,white
277/480 brown,purple(violet),yellow,gray
Orange for high legs

Current British standard, fixed cables (A,B,C,N,Gnd):

Red, yellow, blue, black, green/yellow
(Plain green for ground until 1980s.)

Pre-1965 installations:
Red, white, blue, black, green

Flexible cords, current standard:
Brown (all phases), blue, green/yellow

Pre-1970 cords:
1-phase: Red, black, green
3-phase: Red, white, blue, black, green

Current code: (L1, L2, L3, N, GND): Black/Brown/Grey/Yellow-Green (Hope I don't mix up Brown and black order, fell free to correct me), until 01/01/02 (probably) L2 and L3 both black. Old work (pre 1970ies) Black, blue, pink, grey and red (no idea about phase order, just saw a cable once, never saw one installed, most 3ph work was ungrounded)

Per the NEC, unless other voltages are specified, for the purposes of computing branch-circuit and feeder loads, nominal system voltages that are used are:

120 volts: Hot legs any color, except that the grounded conductor is, white or gray, and the EGC green, or (when used for isolated EGC to reduce noise) green with yellow stripe

120/240 volts: Hot legs, any color, except the grounded conductor is required to be white, or gray, and the EGC green, or (used for isolated EGC to reduce noise) green with yellow stripe,

208Y/120 volts: Typical Black, Red, Blue, White,

240 volts:, Any color except white or gray or green, etc.

347 volts:, Any color except white or gray or green?

This voltage is used in Canada, does the CEC specify any colors?

480Y/277 volts: Brown, Orange, Yellow White or Gray,

480 volts: any color, except white, gray, green, or green with yellow stripe,

600Y/347 volts:, same as above

600 volts: any color, except white, gray, green, or green with yellow stripe, etc.

2002 NEC Index: Color code

Branch circuits, 210.4(D), 210.5

Conductors, 310.12, 504.80(C), 647.4(C)

Grounded conductor, 200.6

Grounding conductor, 250.119, 310.12(B), 400.23

Heating cables, 424.35

Higher voltage to ground

Feeders, 215.8

Panelboards, 408.3(E)

Sensitive electronic equipment, 647.4(C)

Service-entrance conductors, 230.56

PS: Green with yellow is often used for the EGC that is isolated, and the use of a conductor with 3 continuous white strips along the entire length is acceptable for identification of the grounded conductor.



[This message has been edited by Joe Tedesco (edited 10-09-2002).]

Sweden

2002 onwards:
See Austria

Prior to 2002:

(L, N, PE)
Black, Blue, Green/Yellow

(L1, L2, L3)
Black, Brown, White or Black or Black/White
(Brown and white also used for light switches and travellers. Wires in conduit can also be orange or grey.)

Prior to 1973

(L, N, PE)
Black, White, Red

3-phase and light switches
Black, Blue and/or Yellow and/or Grey and/or Green. (Order unknown) I've seen three blacks as well.

Denmark:

2002 onwards:
See Austria.

I think the old (prior to 1973) code was:
(L, N, PE)
White, Black, Red

3-phase or light switch
White, Brown and/or Grey and/or Blue and/or Yellow and/or Green (Order unknown)

[This message has been edited by C-H (edited 12-30-2002).]