The protective ground must be bare green or green yellow striped.
Electrical wire color meaning.
In many cases a bundle of these colored wires will be grouped together and sealed within a black or grey cable.
The different colors of electrical wires indicate the function of the wire with black and red indicating the wires carry electric current white usually indicating neutral charge and green indicating the wire is grounded.
Consider all black wires to be live at all times.
Electrical cable and wire color markings.
This helps to protect people from accidental exposure and makes it much easier to run.
The national electrical code mandates particular colors for the ground wire and the neutral or return leg of a grounded circuit.
Labeling electrical wires conduits.
However common practice per local electrical inspectors is for the first hot live or active wire to be black and the.
This color of wire is used to transfer power to switches and outlets in all types of circuits.
We ve listed the typical uses for wire.
The wire color codes used are only going to apply to the actual wires that are carrying the electricity.
Other colored wires.
Also black wires are often used as switch legs in circuits which is the connection linking a switch to the electrical load.
Be aware that all electrical wires regardless of their function could carry an electrical current at some point so treat all wires with equal caution.
Remember black and red wires are always hot meaning they are source wires that carry power from the electric service panel to a destination such as an outlet or a light.
Non metallic or nm 120 volt and 240 volt electrical cable come in two main parts.
The colors regulated by the national electrical code in the united states are standardized for safety.
White single phase live wires.
The wiring in a typical residence can get complicated and in an effort to keep track of what s what electricians assign certain colors to wires in an electrical circuit.
The us national electrical code for both ac and dc mandates that the grounded neutral conductor of a power system be white or grey.
Red black and blue it s important to remember that the above color information applies only to ac.
Electrical wiring in canada is governed by the canadian electric code cec.
The color of the sheathing indicates recommended.
These are the most common colors used in electrical wiring.
Knowing the electrical color code that dictates which wire does what is imperative not only in the correct configuration of an electrical system but it s also paramount for your safety.
The national electrical code contains strict wire color rules for grounding and neutral conductors but it s less rigid when it comes to other colors.
Hot active wires may be any other colors except these.
The following wiring color requirements apply in canada.
Other color combinations such as striped wires may be used for other applications.
Green or green with a yellow stripe neutral wires.
