Electrical House Wiring Color Code
The color is used on the wires insulation and it is sometimes mandatory and sometimes optional.
Electrical house wiring color code. Black use for line voltage or hot wire red a second line voltage or hot wire. The wire that carries the current from the power source to the outlet or receptacle is the hot wire. Blue and yellow yellow and blue electrical wires are also used to carry power but are not for wiring the outlets for common plug in electrical devices. The home wire color code was created for safety and convenience.
What follows here is the standard coloring for wires throughout a home. These colors are used for the live wire pulled through conduit. Blackred black and red wires are used as hot wires. Many older wire installations may vary in color codes and color may fade or change with heat and age of insulation.
It allows electrical workers to identify wires and work with them without risk. The gauge or size of the wire may change depending on the current requirement of the circuit but the color is a consistent feature. Building electrical wiring color codes conventions for 120v or 240v ac circuits this new type nm b 14 3 electrical wire has color coded conductors that are easy to spot and understand. The electrical wire identification system.
Standard colors used for home wiring. There are two color codes available in the united states for different voltages. Beyond that are general industry accepted rules about wire color that indicate their purpose. Australia and south africa red black green yellow.
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. For example one wire color that has become popular and often mandatory. But looking deeper the color of the wires inside of the sheathing reveals that different colored wires serve different purposes. Youll use yellow mainly as switch legs to fans structural lights and switched outlets.
Different colors represent different electrical currents and will be found in certain groups of home applications. There are local rules and exceptions that exist based upon the exact application.